Mitsuko Esperanza Kasuga

Akane Immigrant Poet Mitsuko Esperanza Kasuga

Mitsuko Kasuga (Pen name: Akane) emigrated from Japan to Mexico when she was young, and composed poetry in the form of classic Japanese tanka throughout her life. Her tanka carried her through the hardships of war and the loss of her husband, vividly describing life's joys and sorrows. This book recounts Akane's personal history and introduces 113 of her tanka in English, Spanish, and the original Japanese. Naoko Shin's English translations breathe new life into the inspired musings of this remarkable immigrant poet.