Japanese Haiku for Cat Lovers

Japanese Haiku for Cat Lovers compiled and illustrated by Manda, translated and introduced by William Scott Wilson, is an absolutely lovely collection that combines haiku and illustrations. Noses and whiskers peek from the pages in gorgeous watercolors. The poems capture the aloof but loving nature, endearing (and not so endearing!) quirks, and (often) mischievousness of our longtime feline companions. At once viewed as divine and a nuisance (no one listening to a cat in heat has ever thought divine!), cats enrich our lives and bookshelves. This volume notices the dual nature of cats, in their sleekness, in their silliness, and in their embarrassing moments that we all must pretend did not happen. Predominantly, this collection features poems by Issa and Basho, with a few other poets appearing as well. It feels like a nice mix of perspectives for the reader who enjoys poetry but is no expert. It’s easy to see our own beloved pets in the brief renderings on these pages. And the art draws us in as well, as elegant and deceptively simple as the cats in our lives and our hearts.