Post by juliana112 on May 31, 2013 16:11:59 GMT -5
Born in the Yamaguchi Prefecture of Japan in 1909, Michio Mado experienced the slight sting of abandonment at the tender age of six years old when he awoke one morning to find that his parents had taken his brother and sister and immigrated to Taiwan, leaving his grandfather to look out for him until he joined his family in Taiwan at the age of ten. He remained outside of Japan for the next twenty-seven years of his life, first as a student graduating from the School of Industrial Instruction (now known as the National Taipei University of Technology) in Taiwan, then as a soldier in World War II. It was during these tumultuous years that Mado began studying poetry with one of the most renowned Japanese tanka poets and writer of several nursery rhymes himself, Hakushu Kitahara.
Mado's career, like his poetry, has been simple and unrushed. In 1934, two of his poems were selected by Hakushu Kitahara for publication in the children's magazine Kodomono Kuni. He returned to Japan in 1946 at the age of thirty-seven to become the editor for a children's magazine and, in 1952, published his most famous poem Zo-san (Little Elephant), which was later turned into a nursery rhyme that virtually every Japanese child knows. Sixteen years later, in 1968, his first collection of poetry, Tempura piripiri, was published and since then, several books of his poetry have been published. By the time the complete collection of his 1200 poems was compiled by Eiji Ito in 1993, Mado was known to several generations of Japanese children who had grown up with his verse and songs. However, it was not until a collection of his poems, The Animals, was translated by the Empress Michiko of Japan and published in both Japan and the United States as a bilingual book of poetry that Mado became known outside his native country.
This literary and cultural outreach attracted the attention of the Hans Christian Anderson Award nomination committee from the Japanese Board on Books for Youth People and, in 1994, Mado was granted this international award for making a lasting contribution to children's literature. As the nomination committee stated, "It is true that poetry suffers from translation. But we are confident that Mado's works can transcend language and cultural barriers, for they are written in a simple and unaffected language and are imbued with a philosophy both original and yet relevant to the present age.”
The Animals, along with a second bilingual book The Magic Pocket published in 1998, have allowed readers outside of Japan experience the aesthetic refinement and gentleness of Mado's mastery of short form poetry. Mado encourages readers, both children and adults, to appreciate the simple beauty in the nature surrounding them and explore how "the sky washes its gigantic face" with the rain, how butterflies “fold themselves in half modestly,” and how a zebra is “in a cage of his own making.” His words are free from forced intelligibility and simply express the wonder and joy of the natural world that a child might experience. Mado’s clever use of language to inspire the reader brings to life commonplace objects that are often overlooked: a seashell coming to existence ”while the waves were shining under the sunset glow;” a letter in an envelope, thin and fragile “like a flower petal.”
These little truths presented in such an uncomplicated and gentle manner capture the essence of Mado’s poetry in a way that truly inspires readers to stop and think about the beauty of nature all around them. We are honored that such a humble poet such as Michio Mado is here with us today. Please help me welcome to the stage Michio Mado.
Word Count - 616
Mado's career, like his poetry, has been simple and unrushed. In 1934, two of his poems were selected by Hakushu Kitahara for publication in the children's magazine Kodomono Kuni. He returned to Japan in 1946 at the age of thirty-seven to become the editor for a children's magazine and, in 1952, published his most famous poem Zo-san (Little Elephant), which was later turned into a nursery rhyme that virtually every Japanese child knows. Sixteen years later, in 1968, his first collection of poetry, Tempura piripiri, was published and since then, several books of his poetry have been published. By the time the complete collection of his 1200 poems was compiled by Eiji Ito in 1993, Mado was known to several generations of Japanese children who had grown up with his verse and songs. However, it was not until a collection of his poems, The Animals, was translated by the Empress Michiko of Japan and published in both Japan and the United States as a bilingual book of poetry that Mado became known outside his native country.
This literary and cultural outreach attracted the attention of the Hans Christian Anderson Award nomination committee from the Japanese Board on Books for Youth People and, in 1994, Mado was granted this international award for making a lasting contribution to children's literature. As the nomination committee stated, "It is true that poetry suffers from translation. But we are confident that Mado's works can transcend language and cultural barriers, for they are written in a simple and unaffected language and are imbued with a philosophy both original and yet relevant to the present age.”
The Animals, along with a second bilingual book The Magic Pocket published in 1998, have allowed readers outside of Japan experience the aesthetic refinement and gentleness of Mado's mastery of short form poetry. Mado encourages readers, both children and adults, to appreciate the simple beauty in the nature surrounding them and explore how "the sky washes its gigantic face" with the rain, how butterflies “fold themselves in half modestly,” and how a zebra is “in a cage of his own making.” His words are free from forced intelligibility and simply express the wonder and joy of the natural world that a child might experience. Mado’s clever use of language to inspire the reader brings to life commonplace objects that are often overlooked: a seashell coming to existence ”while the waves were shining under the sunset glow;” a letter in an envelope, thin and fragile “like a flower petal.”
These little truths presented in such an uncomplicated and gentle manner capture the essence of Mado’s poetry in a way that truly inspires readers to stop and think about the beauty of nature all around them. We are honored that such a humble poet such as Michio Mado is here with us today. Please help me welcome to the stage Michio Mado.
Word Count - 616