Simple yet capable of great complexity, the haiku is a tightly structured verse form that has a remarkable power to distill the essence of a moment keenly
perceived. For centuries confined to a small literary elite in Japan, the writing of haiku is now practiced all over the world by those who are fascinated by its combination of technical challenge, expressive means, and extreme concentration.
This anthology brings together hundreds of haiku by the Japanese masters–Basho, Issa, Buson, Shiki–as well as superb examples from
19th- and 20th-century writers. The pioneering translator R. H. Blyth believed that the spirit of haiku is present in all great poetry. The result is a collection as compact, dynamic, and scintillating as the form itself.
Hardcover
256 pages
Measurements: 4 x 6.25 inches
Published by Everyman’s Library in 2003
