Poetry. Nakayasu's book-length poem, winner of the 2003 Verse Prize selected by Ann Lauterbach, uses its tumbling dramatic form to create a new inquiry into "character", "time", "place", "direction", and other elements. This wholly original work delves into regions hitherto explored only by the most experimental forms of music and plastic arts.

Author City: SAN FRANCISCO, CA USA

Sawako Nakayasu was born in Japan and has lived mostly in the US since the age of six. She is the author of SO WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN TIME OR (2004), NOTHING FICTIONAL BUT THE ACCURACY OR ARRANGEMENT (SHE (2005), and TEXTURE NOTES (2009). Translations include FOUR FROM JAPAN: CONTEMPORARY POETRY & ESSAYS BY WOMEN (2006), To the Vast Blooming Sky by Sagawa (2007), and For the Fighting Spirit of the Walnut by Hiraide (2008). Her own poetry has been translated into Japanese, Swedish, Arabic, Chinese, and Vietnamese. She holds an MFA from Brown University and has received grants from the NEA and PEN for translating Japanese poetry.

Reviews and Other Links
The Quarterly Conversation