America and Other Poems

America and Other Poems is the first English translation of a single volume by the seminal Japanese Modernist poet, Ayukawa Nobuo. One of Japan's most influential yet overlooked poets, Nobuo was an important voice for peace and probity in the years that followed World War II and the collapse of Japan's rationale for war. This landmark selection spans from 1947 through 1976, and includes work ranging from early writings about the poet's experience on the front line to poems focused on the influence of Western culture on Japanese society. Nobuo's lyrical, complex poetry offers a rare perspective on war from an ordinary Japanese soldier's point of view. It also provides a window into the complex postwar relationship between Western literary culture and the Japanese struggle to make sense of postwar accountability. This award-winning translation also features texts by Shogo Oketani, contextualizing Nobuo's life and work.