Haiku (Volume IV) - Blyth, R. H.

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Résumé :
Reginald Horace Blyth (1898-1964) was a prime mover in the popularization of haiku and Zen philosophy in western culture. Born in England, Blyth spent most of his working life in Japan, where he acted as a professor of English and foreign liaison, and became a great admirer of Japanese poetry. Long considered by haiku enthusiasts an essential resource for English-speaking readers, Blyth's four-volume haiku anthology is a testament to his love and deep understanding of this singular art form. Presenting the best work of Japan's haiku masters alongside his own lucid commentary, Blyth's volumes communicate the true meaning and spirit of haiku in a way rarely accessible to western readers. The concluding volume of Blyth's anthology, Haiku Vol. IV (Autumn and Winter) contains a wide sampling of haiku particularly attuned to these two seasons. With subjects ranging from winter animals and landscape to the looming presence of sickness and death, this volume contains some of the most touching and profound examples of Zen and haiku. ...

Biographie:
R.H. Blyth was born in London in 1898 and studied English literature at London University. He traveled extensively in the East before moving first to Korea and then Japan and teaching English at several universities. Blyth eventually became the English tutor to the Crown Prince of Japan. He also studied Zen Buddhism under Kayama Taigi Roshi. Blyth was interned during the war years, and it was during this time that he wrote his first book, Zen in English Literature. He went on to write numerous other books on Zen, haiku, senryu, and humor. Blyth was a man whose sensibility took root in two disparate cultures and found a harmony that he beautifully and effectively communicated in his writing.

Sommaire:
Reginald Horace Blyth (1898-1964) was a prime mover in the popularization of haiku and Zen philosophy in western culture. Born in England, Blyth spent most of his working life in Japan, where he acted as a professor of English and foreign liaison, and became a great admirer of Japanese poetry. Long considered by haiku enthusiasts an essential resource for English-speaking readers, Blyth's four-volume haiku anthology is a testament to his love and deep understanding of this singular art form. Presenting the best work of Japan's haiku masters alongside his own lucid commentary, Blyth's volumes communicate the true meaning and spirit of haiku in a way rarely accessible to western readers. The concluding volume of Blyth's anthology, Haiku Vol. IV (Autumn and Winter) contains a wide sampling of haiku particularly attuned to these two seasons. With subjects ranging from winter animals and landscape to the looming presence of sickness and death, this volume contains some of the most touching and profound examples of Zen and haiku. ...