A Reading of Contemporary Japanese Poetry in Translation

Eric Selland will read from a selection of his translations of modern and contemporary Japanese poetry, concentrating especially on the work of Yoshioka Minoru (1919-1990) and Nomura Kiwao (1951- ).

Yoshioka is recognized by scholars and critics as having been one of most important poets of the postwar period. Meanwhile, Nomura is considered to be the leading avant-garde voice of the current period, as well as an important critic and thinker.

These are two very different poets, though equally difficult and equally passionate about the work of the poet in an age where the textual arts seem to be progressively losing a place in contemporary culture. Eric will also talk a bit about the lives of the poets and their approaches to poetry.