The haiku is a perfect way of capturing a moment of experience or a fleeting impression. This selection of Japanese poems, paired with exquisite paintings and prints of animal life, celebrates the heartfelt link in Japanese culture between man and nature, between poetry and art.
From the majestic deer to the humble flea, a great variety of animals, birds and insects comes before the poet's gaze. Haiku by the great seventeenth- and eighteenth-century poets Bashō, Buson and Issa are included alongside many more recent works, illustrated with stunning images from the extensive British Museum Japanese collections. An introduction and biographies of the poets describe the history and development of haiku. The warmth of the poets' and artists' sympathy with all animals, great and small, gives this selection its special charm.
With 45 colour illustrations
