A Hundred Waves: Classical Poems from Ryukyu

It is rather rare to see Okinawan poetry translated into English. But this volume presents just such a collection of Okinawa’s own poetic form, the ryuuka. With its typical four lines of thirty syllables (i.e., 8,8,8,6), a ryuuka embodies poetic compression to an extent greater than its famous cousins, Japanese waka or tanka, with their thirty-one syllables and five lines (i.e., 5,7,5,7,7). The ryuuka appearing here are drawn from a time span of several hundred years. The authors present poems of Aragusuku Anki, Arakaki Rintoku, Chatan Ooji, Goeku Aji, Heshikiya Choobin, Kume Gushikawa Ooji Chooei, Motobu Aji Chookyu, Motobu Aji, Motobu Ooji, Saion, Shootoku Oojo, Tamagusuku Chookun, Teijunsoku, Tsuken Oyakata, Unna Nabii, Yonabaru Oyakata, Yushiya Chiruu and Zukeran Oyakata Teuki. A Hundred Waves also includes a note on translating Okinawan poetry, a pronunciation guide for Romanization and concludes with an index.Eiki Senaha, PhD, is professor emeritus of the University of the Ryukyus (Nishihara, Okinawa) and Meio University (Nago, Okinawa). He is also president emeritus of the latter. Professor Senaha is a Wordsworth scholar and has an abiding interest in British Romantic poetry as well as the poetry of Japan. Timothy Guile, PhD, is professor emeritus of International Cultural Studies at Meio University and a former dean of its graduate school. He is a linguist and has co-authored with Steven Templin two works for Japanese university students learning English: Dream Quest I and Dream Quest II. He has also authored An Anthology of Menominee Sayings. He, too, has an abiding interest in poetry. This volume would be of interest to those studying literature or culture. ISBN 9783862887736. LINCOM pocket 03. 108pp. 2017.