The Poetics of Japanese Verse [Hardcover]

Stephen Collington (Translator), Kevin Collins (Translator), Gustav Heldt (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 1999

Leading literary scholar and critic Koji Kawamoto examines traditional Japanese poetry and shows how the deceptively simple metrics of seven and five syllables packs information and intense emotional content into a short space. The book also provides an overview of the development of the waka and haiku forms.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Koji Kawamoto teaches literature at the University of Tokyo.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: University of Tokyo Press (January 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0860085260
• ISBN-13: 978-0860085263
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,819,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something I've Waited For, November 18, 2001

By 

Lloyd G. Daub "LGD" (Milwaukee, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Poetics of Japanese Verse (Hardcover)

This is the sort of book I have long sought in order to advance my understanding of haiku as the Japanese read and enjoy them. For example, we begin with a dispute over a particular poem. The poet mentions that his feelings were upbeat and positive on an autumn evening. His critic demanded that the poem be withdrawn and redone because the poetic meaning of 'autumn evening' was 'forlornness.' If the poet didn't say he felt forlorn on an autumn evening, then he was betraying the poetic art, according to the critic. The author withdrew the poem. The critique also mentions the other kigo which were meant to indicate that the poet felt forlorn.

Kawamoto takes off from this anecdote for a general discussion of the emotional effects meant by the various kigo. That's something I've wanted to know for a long time.

A later chapter is on poetic meter, or "mora." This brings to mind the art of Seishi Yamaguchi, much praised for his rhythm. The 'mora' of the Japanese language are larger than the onji/jion traditionally used to describe the haiku-- the lines 5, 7 and 5 so often given as defining haiku. Mora are described metrical speech units covering whole 5 or 7 onji segments. Their purpose is to make each segment identical in how long it takes to say them.

This book is not for the beginning student of haiku. The target audience is the advanced student working on his own or as part of a college class in Japanese poetry. Such students are strongly encouraged to add this book to their collection.