Categories: Poetry Books Poetry Anthologies (various Poets) Anthologies (non-poetry) Literary Studies: General The Penguin Book of Haiku 3.82 (126 ratings by Goodreads) Paperback English Translated by Adam L. Kern A revelation Sunday Times, Books of the Year 2018 The first Penguin anthology of Japanese haiku, in vivid new translations by Adam L. Kern. Now a global poetry, the haiku was originally a Japanese verse form that flourished from the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries. Although renowned for its brevity, usually running over three lines in seventeen syllables, and by its use of natural imagery to make Zen-like observations about reality, in fact the haiku is much more: it can be erotic, funny, crude and mischievous. Presenting over a thousand exemplars in vivid and engaging translations, this anthology offers an illuminating introduction to this widely celebrated, if misunderstood, art form. Adam L. Kerns new translations are accompanied here by the original Japanese and short commentaries on the poems, as well as an introduction and illustrations from the period. Product details Format Paperback | 544 pages Dimensions 129 x 198 x 23mm | 372g Publication date 14 Aug 2018 Publisher Penguin Books Ltd Imprint Penguin Classics Publication City/Country London, United Kingdom Language English Illustrations note B&W ILLUSTRATIONS THROUGHOUT 10 0140424768 13 9780140424768 Bestsellers rank 66,667