Thursday, Aug 11, 2011

This celebration of the life and work of Kawano Yuko is presented by Saeko Ogi, Amelia Fielden and Rupert Summerson, on the occasion of the first anniversary of her death. High-profile poet, Kawano Yuko, stood in the forefront of Japanese post-war tankaists. An intensely personal writer, who always enlivened her work with events from her own life and society, Kawano had a long and distinguished career spanning over 40 years. She published books of essays and literary criticism in addition to several thousand original tanka collected in 14 volumes. During her many years of literary activity, Kawano taught tanka composition at colleges and on TV, while working as an editor, lecturer and contest judge. Kawaon Yuko was married to scientist and poet, Dr Nagata Kazuhiro, with whom she led the prestigious Kyoto-based association of contemporary tanka writers called 'Tower'. Their family life centred on two children, and later four grandchildren. Embracing the light and shade of her world with her whole being, Kawano revealed that world to her readers through her work. Amelia Fielden and Saeko Ogi have co-translated three books of Kawano's poetry. On this occasion they are introducing the two most recent of these: 'The Time of this World: 100 Tanka Selected from Thirteen Collections by Kawano Yuko' and 'Maternal Line, Boukei', poems written 2005 - 2008, reflecting Kawano's life as a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, and professional poet. The books will be launched by Dr Carol Hayes, Senior Lecturer at the Japan Centre, ANU. Accompanied by Rupert Summerson on the shakuhachi flute, Amelia, Saeko and guest poet from Tokyo, Mariko Kitakubo, will give a bilingual performance of selected tanka from the 13 Kawano Collections. These poems range from the passionate love lyrics of her earliest, award-winning, publication 'Like a Forest, Like a Wild Beast' to the thoughts of a young mother living temporarily in the USA, from the mature reflections of a poet at the height of her powers in My Tanka Diary (2002) to the The Maternal Line (2008) where she is confronting the death of her mother and the resurgence of her own cancer. When: 6pm Thursday August 11th at Asia Bookroom Where: Asia Bookroom, Lawry Place, Macquarie. ACT RSVP: by August 10th please to 62515191 or books@AsiaBookroom.com Admission by gold coin donation to Save the Children Fund for Japan