AustLit

‘Poems to Wear is a wonderful collection – brilliantly conceived, beautifully written. The editors and translators do the rarest of things: they bring the whole world of dress, fashion and its accessories to life. Part I contains haiku and tanka by modern and contemporary Japanese poets and Part II contains haiku and tanka by Australian poets. The poets are at their imaginative best as they build on their topics. It is accessible poetry, using variety and humour on the subject of clothing from both the Japanese and Western traditions. These tanka build an adventure playground where experiments in form and ingenious ideas are woven into the poetry about clothing. Headings in the Japanese section illuminate the chosen articles of dress. They collect observations from the world of attire that are rewarding and fun and present the reader with poems both thought provoking and a pleasure to read. At the same time, the poems combine humour with serious comment to engage and connect the reader. Masterfully crafted, intelligent, and full of heart, these tanka and haiku speak about the way our outfits offer a chance to express our style and individuality. The result is vivid work, animated and illuminated by the poets’ engagement with their subject matter, their attention to detail, and especially their skill and delight working with the forms of both tanka and haiku. Here we find clothing that exudes both fashion and function.’ – Patricia Prime, editor of Kokkako (Publication summary)