Earliest-known version of the 'Odyssey' discovered in Greece
An ancient tablet engraved with 13 verses of the Odyssey has been unearthed in southern Greece in what is possibly the earliest-recorded trace of the epic poem. The clay slab is believed to date back to the third century, during the Roman era. "If this date ...
Japanese researchers work to create AI capable of generating haiku from images
The development of artificial intelligence software that can write haiku based just on images is underway, with researchers hoping the project will improve how technology understands human emotion. A team of researchers and software developers led by Hidenori Kawamura, a 44-year-old professor at Hokkaido University's ...
South Korea shuts famed 84-year-old poet's exhibition amid sex harassment claims by rival
South Korea's capital has closed an exhibition by poet Ko Un, long the country's hope for a Nobel Prize in literature, amid allegations of sexual misconduct and the government is considering removing his work from textbooks. Ko Un, 84, who denied any "habitual misconduct" in ...
Nicanor Parra, a Chilean physicist, mathematician and self-described "anti-poet" whose eccentric writings won him a leading place in Latin American literature, died Tuesday. He was 103. His death was confirmed by Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, who expressed her condolences. Her government ordered national flags to ...
Reading to the beat of Kazuko Shiraishi, the black sheep of Japan's poets
For the past half-century Kazuko Shiraishi has represented Japan in a number of international poetry festivals and conferences — in at least 28 countries, she tells me in a recent interview. Sea, Land, Shadow, by Kasuko Shiraishi, Translated by Yumiko Tsumura.64 pages NEW DIRECTIONS, Poetry. She says ...
Hillel Wright: poet, writer and catalyst for Tokyo's literary community
Remembering Hillel Wright, who died on Aug. 1 at the age of 73.
The sheer poetry of the world's first English-language 'karuta' game
Classical Japanese poetry on playing cards — in English? It seems like an odd mix. But when you add tales of love and betrayal and brilliant translation, you get a heart-thumping card game like no other. "It's a world's first," says Peter MacMillan, translator and ...
Fukushima poet Ryoichi Wago wins French award for tweets issued on 2011 disasters
A poet in the city of Fukushima has won a French award for a collection based on Twitter feeds he started shortly after the March 2011 mega-quake, tsunami and nuclear disasters unfolded. Ryoichi Wago, 48, and Tokuma Shoten Publishing Co., which published his collection, said ...
Burton Watson, noted translator, remembered
Burton Watson, the foremost translator of Chinese classics and poetry into English, chose to live much of his long life in Japan.
Tanka help Japanese express emotions
Tanka are one of the oldest forms of poetry in the world with a 1,300-year history.
'100 Poems from the Japanese": A classic collection
Kenneth Rexroth was heavily influenced by the moods and modes of Japanese poetry, which in turn reached those who were influenced by him. Named by Time Magazine as the “father of the Beats” and a friend of that other great Japanophile poet, Gary Snyder, ...
'Fractures': Putting together the pieces of a story told in verse
"Fractures" is a slip of a book featuring 27 haiku-inspired poems from author and Japan Times contributor Iain Maloney. It is of course possible to blitz through quickly, but consider this: While each poem can stand independently, taken together, they cover both an emotional and ...
