If you have any interest in Japanese poetry, especially those considered to be among of the great classics, then I highly recommend you check this book out. It focuses on Basho, Buson, Issa, and Shiki. It contains a short bio on each one of these classic poets and features a great amount of their works. This book also includes a few other poets that wrote poetry on the seasons.

I enjoyed reading this book. I found it to be informative and influential on a creative and spiritual level. I especially loved the poems of Issa and Shiki the most.

Give this book a read! I think you might find some of the poetry to be to your liking!

                 Excerpt from Anthology of Japanese Literature by Donald Keene

                                            (Grove Press, New York, 1955)