Author(s): Tom Lowenstein

Buddhism & Mindfulness | Philosophy

A haiku is a short Japanese poem, mostly of just three lines, which expresses many subtle aspects of Japanese culture and sensibility - the falling of plum blossom, the splash of a frog as it leaps into a pond. This extraordinary phenomenon was part of a great flowering of Japanese arts a thousand years ago encouraged by the beauty of nature - calligraphy and ink-painting were perfected, and haiku blended with them to create a wonderful union of poetry and image. Haiku Inspirations is a beautifully illustrated celebration of the places, people, customs, festivals and transient pleasures evoked by this much-loved verse form. Tom Lowenstein has created, specially for the book, some sparkling fresh translations of more than 50 of the most beautiful haiku ever written, accompanied by exquisite landscape photographs, woodcut prints and calligraphy. The book traces the most profound, thought-provoking and imaginative themes of haiku poetry, including: Zen Buddhism, the life of the poet, the major cities of Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo, beauty and the landscape, samurai and costume. Brimming with insights and poetry, Haiku Inspirations captures the spirit of this delightful tradition and opens up its beauty to a whole new audience.