New Selected Poems

A lifetime of inventive and insightful poetry from one of Japan's most celebrated voices.
Shuntarō Tanikawa has been the most inventive modern Japanese poet since his first collection, Two Billion Light Years of Solitude, in 1952. Unaffected by post-war trauma, Tanikawa embraced language with unmatched energy, earning popularity and critical acclaim for his refusal to compromise with the somber tones prevalent in contemporary Japanese poetry.

This new selection, translated by William I. Elliott and Kazuo Kawamura, supplements the original Selected Poems published by Carcanet in 1998, offering a fresh perspective on Tanikawa's enduring themes of solitude, love, nature, and the everyday. Perfect for readers of modern poetry and those interested in Japanese literature, this collection showcases Tanikawa's unique voice and his ability to find humor and reflection in the ordinary.