Introduction

I wait for fireflies / I wait as if for someone / who will never return

The first work in English devoted entirely to the modern haiku master, Momoko Kuroda, with 100 poems plus commentary on the poet's life, social context, form, and technique.

About Momoko Kuroda

Momoko Kuroda (1938–2023) was a giant of haiku poetry in Japan and a woman of remarkable independence and spirit. She received multiple awards for her poetry including the prestigious Dakotsu prize.

Content and Themes

The one hundred poems here—her first collection in English—show her evolution as a poet, her acute lyricism, and her engagement as a writer in issues central to modern Japan: postwar identity, nuclear politics, and Fukushima. Abigail Friedman's introduction and textual commentaries provide important background and superb insight into poetic themes and craft.