Bussokusekika is a rare form of Japanese poetry that consists of six lines written in a 5-7-5-7-7-7 mora pattern. Arising during the Nara period, the form had essentially died out by the Heian period. For centuries, the only existing examples were the twenty one poems inscribed beside the stone Buddha…
On Thursday April 24, I had the pleasure of attending El Retorno: Celebrando a Nuestra Gloria, a yearly event honoring the work and ideas of Gloria Anzaldúa. During the celebration I began mentally composing a brief elegy in Nahuatl in honor of her important work. Here it is, with a…
Li Bai, also known as Li Po, was arguably the greatest poet of China’s Tang dynasty, and possibly of all its history. His verse is notable for the strong voice and personality it reflects, uncommon in the 8th century. An accomplished martial artist and academic genius, Li Bai was also…
A zen monk from a humble background, Iio Sōgi became one of the most respected poets of 15th-century Japan, lauded by major figures and followed by a crowd of students. We may realizethat people are merely dreams:the house abandoned,its wild garden becomes hometo a swarm of butterflies. —translated by David…
The fifth-century Emperor Ingyō (c. 411-453) took as his lover Princess Sotoshi no iratsume (better known to us as Sotōri), the younger sister of Empress Oshisaka no Ōnakatsuhime. To avoid offending the Empress, Ingyō provided a residence for Princess Sotoshi far away from her older sister, first in Fujiwara near…
A week before he died, Japanese swordmaster Miyamoto Musashi composed his Dokkōdō or Way of Walking Alone, a series of twenty-one precepts that spell out his philosophy of ascetic, honorable living. I do not oppose the age-old paths. I do not plot ways to find pleasure. I do not bias…
I’m very excited to confirm my next two books: Border Lore: Folktales and Legends of South Texas, coming from Lamar University Press this fall. A Score and Ten: Poetic Evolution, coming from Otras Voces Publishing late this year or early 2015.
As people have been asking where they can watch episode 8 of Monsters and Mysteries in America season two (in which my interview and story appear), here’s a rundown of sources in case you don’t catch it on Destination America or Animal Planet: Amazon iTunes YouTube WalMart Vudu
Cao Cao (155-220 C.E.) was a statesman, master of military affairs and a great poet. He became the Prime Minister of the Chinese kingdom of Wei in 209, in 214 was knighted the Duke of Wei, in 217 became the King of Wei and was conferred the title Emperor Wu…
Interstice, the literary journal of South Texas College, has accepted my poems “Beer Bottles” and “The Serpent in My Eye” for publication in the spring 2014 edition.
