Awesome Nightfall: The Life, Times and Poetry of Saigyo [Paperback]

Saigyo (Author), William R. LaFleur (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 2003

Awesome Nightfall captures the power of Saigyo's poetry and this previously overlooked poet's keen insight into the social and political world of medieval Japan. It also offers a fascinating look into the world of Japanese Buddhism prior to the wholesale influence of Zen. LaFleur's much-heralded translation and commentary make this book ideal both for the poetry lover, and for the professor and student of Asian arts and languages.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A beautifully proportioned work of lucid scholarship and superb literary translation." -- Mike O'Connor, translator of The Clouds Should Know Me By Now and Where the World Does Not Follow

"Awesome Nightfall is a welcome presentation of Saigyo's poetry and his life as they reflect each other." -- W.S. Merwin

"LaFleur's account of Saigyo's life kept me spellbound, and his translations made me ache to hit the road with Saigyo." -- Andrew Schelling, Naropa University, author of The Cane Groves of Narmada River: Erotic Poems from Old India.

"Saigyo's poems are masterful mind-language challenges. LaFleur's deeply understanding translations present the snake-like energy of the syntax." -- Gary Snyder, author of The High Sierra of California

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: English

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Wisdom Publications (June 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0861713222
• ISBN-13: 978-0861713226
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #403,281 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Japanese Version of Chuang Tzu, February 28, 2004

By 

Swing King (Cincinnati, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Awesome Nightfall: The Life, Times and Poetry of Saigyo (Paperback)

Bill LaFleur presents us with a wonderful account of the poetry of an important Japanese poet. It reminds me a little bit of Thomas Mertons draw towards writing poetry while in a monastery. Saigyo lived a very difficult life during some really horrific times in Japanese history. It was a challenge to truly detach himself from the occurrences of the daily struggle of life during his time. He struggled in his poetry with inner dilemmas that we all face. Issues surrounding sex and time spent worrying somewhat about his earlier years spent as a warrior. Saigyo believed in fusing poetry with the path of the Buddha in a life of action, or truly sincere practice. The experiment would encompass a lifetime of this monk, and the outcomes of his story are left for interpretation for us lucky readers. He had to detach himself from relationships with those who aspired to be poets, but who did not participate in actualizing their works in their daily lives. Saigyos style is eerily reminiscent of the Chinese Taoist master Chuang Tzu in his prose and approach, and I suppose Ill end this review with a quick poem by him:

The moon, like you,
Is far away from me, but its our sole memento:
If you look and recall our past through it,
We can be one mind.