While I don't have a wide knowledge of poetry, I am familiar with the names of some of the major Western poets. I am, however, interested in learning more about the poetry of non-western authors. So do you all have any recommendations of any good books or poets from around the world?

I am limited to English and a smattering of Spanish, so if they have English translations of the works you like, even better.

I'll suggest three anthologies of translations that, I believe, are good introductions. At least they were for me.

East Window: Poems from Asia by translated by W.S. Merwin
One Hundred Poems from the Chinese translated by Kenneth Rexroth
Five T'ang Poets the five poets being Wang Wei, Li Po, Tu Fu, Li Ho, and Li Shang-Yin

If I could only have one book of non-western poetry for the rest of my life, it would be From the Country of Eight Islands, which samples the history of Japanese poetry from antiquity to the early 20th century.

Message edited by its author, Oct 12, 2009, 2:01pm.

#1 --

Asian poets and poetry:

I only recently discovered and got this -- I've not yet read it.

Milleniums of Moonbeams: An Historical Anthology of Chinese Classical Poetry: Covering a Period of Almost Four Thousand Years, Containing Translations into Classic English Verse Forms of Nine Hundred Poems by Some Four Hundred Different Poets (NY: Gordon Press, 1977), Robert Wood Clack, Edited by R. W. Douglas Clack.

As the lengthy title indicates this was likely first published in the 19th century (according to the publication data Clack was born in 1886), apparently by Alma College, MI. It is three volumes, and has a lengthy, scholarly Preface, plus a brief introduction to each poet.

It can be found, new, via search on eBay -- and the price is more than reasonable.

As another mentioned, Kenneth Rexroth did major translation and publication of Chinese and Japanese poets, including women poets specifically, which can be found by search on such as Amazon.

For French my favorite is Jacques Prevert; translations include Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Teo Savory, Harriet Zinnes, and Carol Poster.

I also like the Baudelaire I've read. And then there's Rimbaud. Guillevic can be had in translation by Denise Levertov.

For Spanish: Nicanor Parra is a favorite; though a bit difficult to come by he is well worth the search. And there is a wonderfully delightful website devoted to him at Universidad Catholica de Santiago, in Chile, presented in both Spanish and English. (It links to a Spanish-only site for, as I recall, Garcia Lorca -- I've not visited the site in a while.) It is rich and informative site, including excellent article on his aesthetic by one of the foremost translators of his work Edith Grossman.

And there is major Spanish poet Pablo Neruda.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! Once I have the time and the money (being a college student has its disadvantages) I will have to check some of these out!

#5 --

At least a few should be available in the University library. Otherwise --

Correction: Universidad de Chile. And here's the link to the Nicanor Parra website there (English side):

http://www.nicanorparra.uchile.cl/englis...

Message edited by its author, Oct 16, 2009, 11:24pm.

> 4 As the lengthy title indicates this was likely first published in the 19th century (according to the publication data Clack was born in 1886)

But that makes him only 14 at the turn of the century. He lived until 1964 and 1977 really is when it was first published, edited by his son, as you said. See here, here, and here.

#7 --

Wow -- thanks for the research! I'd only scanned the (lengthy!) "Preface," and picked up that he'd "done time" in China, which is where he encountered and got to translating the poetry. I only scanned the "Preface" because it is relatively dense with biographical and other details; and that is followed by extensive analytical material on the poets, the poetry, and even the music to which some of the poems were sung.

That kind of elaborate scholarship reminds of 19th century standards. That the title is 19th century-style might be a hold-over from his intentions; and early 20th century style might have been little changed.

The "YMCA" association suggested that he might have been a "missionary" -- I didn't read enough to determine that for a fact, but it seems rasonable for the period.

There is quite a story there -- only added to by the tragedy of son and daughter-in-law and their four children being killed at sea.

There are two details, apparent loose threads which are potentially contrary, but which contributed to my assumption:

On one hand, the copyright information is

"1977 by Alma College, Alma, Michigan,"

which suggests first publication, though isn't by itself necessarily conclusive; on the other, the publication data gives Clack's date of birth as "1886-" -- but doesn't include date of death, thus suggesting that he was alive in 1977. And I took "Robert Wood Clack" as being the same as "R. W. Douglas Clack".

A note of related interest, and suggestive commonality:

Thus my snap assumption (but qualified by the "likely") that the Clack title was 19th century, based upon those details, cumulatively, and the fact that I deal with a number of texts from as late as 1888-1890s, which have titles that threaten to go on for a at least a few pages before finally petering out.

Message edited by its author, Oct 18, 2009, 2:56am.