frogments a 'centrepiece'

frogments from the frag pool review

frogments from the frag pool is a collection of poetry responding to Matsuo Basho's famous haiku "furu ike ya / kawazu tobikomu / mizu no oto" (8). This particular haiku is considered all but impossible to translate adequately, and consequently a small tradition of attempting to translate the poem has arisen. bpNichol famously translated it as the letter "Q"--a more literal translation by R.H. Blyth appears near the beginning of the book: "The old pond; / A frog jumps in -- / The sound of water" (8). Barwin and beaulieu offer an entire book translating, responding to, and puzzling out the haiku; a witty, fun, intelligent, and accessible book.

[frogments from the frag pool] is simply a joy to read, chock-full of puns and clever rewritings of Basho's poem.... smart, clever, funny, and even manages to be innovative while maintaining a level of accessibility. It's the kind of book that could be taught in grade school, high school, or university, and would serve as a useful centrepiece for lively discussion at each level.