The Penguin Book of Japanese Verse is a collection of over 700 poems from the 3rd to the 20th century. It’s supplied with an introduction and notes, as well as a few short appendixes – containing information on poetic forms or a glossary – which help to better understand the poem’s content and their historical and literary context.
In this book you will find and abundance of poems on various topics, which change with time, from the traditional haiku and tankato those more contemporary and avant-guarde; for example, one of the poets you will find here is Hiromi Itō (you can find two volumes of her poetry in Killing Kanoko / Wild Grass on the Riverbank.) Other authors feature Prince Ōtsu, Lady Ishikawa, Princess Hirokawa,
Lady Heguri, Ōtomo Yakamochi, Mibu Tadamine, Taira Tadanori,
Priest Saigyō, Fujiwara Shunzei (Toshinari), Lady Sanuki, Muromachi Ballads, Arakida Moritake, Yasuhara Teishitsu, Miura Chora, Yosana Akiko, Iida Dakotsu, Miki Rofū, Takenaka Iku.
