Japanese Prose Poetry (University of Sydney East Asian)

"This study of Japanese prose poetry in the twentieth century demonstrates how from small French-inspired beginnings the prose form has risen to become part of the national poetic tradition. Many of the poems described in this book have so far not been accessible to English-speaking readers, and consequently the poets - particularly, the poets of today - have remained unknown. This book focuses on key poets and key movements, and the topics range from the early romanticism of Hagiwata Sakutaro to the modernist preoccupation with language as a subject for poetry in its own right. Of interest is the persistence of Zen Buddhist philosophy underpinning the themes of this genre."--BOOK JACKET.