This is the first book to translate a broad spectrum of the informal, improper and generally comic side of 31syllable Japanese poetry called `kyoka,¿ or `kyouka,¿ literally, ¿madpoems¿ or ¿madcap verse,¿ representing ¿absolute freedom both in respect of language and choice of subject.¿ Aston 1899 Literary anthologies have published only a handful of translations and the lion¿s share of kyoka Englished to date are the rather tame variety found on early19c color prints called `surimono,¿ published as catalogues. Because of the narrow focus of most kyokarelated publishing in Japan, even specialists in Japanese literature may be surprised to discover in this book a brave old world of humor, far larger and more entertaining than anything they might have imagined. The 2000 poems in Robin D. Gill¿s 740page book include hundreds of ¿wild waka¿ `waka¿ being the formal side of 31syllable poetry to help define the field and demonstrate how the presence or absence of humor depends upon our expectations and, in the case of an exotic tongue, our translation. ¿Mad In Translation¿ recreates the wit of the originals in English on the one hand, while explaining what is specific to Japanese on the other. Many poems will delight those who appreciate the best epigrams of the metaphysical poets, the grooks of Piet Hein and all that might be called `light verse for eggheads.¿ 733 pages : 25 cm Even readers with no particular interest in Japan - if such odd souls exist - may expect unexpected pleasure from this book if English metaphysical poetry, grooks, hyperlogical nonsense verse, outrageous epigrams, the (im)possibilities and process of translation between exotic tongues, the reason of puns and rhyme, outlandish metaphor, extreme hyperbole and whatnot tickle their fancy. Read together with The Woman Without a Hole, also by Robin D. Gill, the hitherto overlooked ulterior side of art poetry in Japan may now be thoroughly explored by monolinguals, though bilinguals and students of Japanese will be happy to know all the original Japanese is included.--amazon.com Includes bibliographical references (pages 648-663) and indexes