Ishigaki Rin

Ishigaki Rin ( Japanese 石 垣 り ん ; * February 21, 1920 in Tokyo , † December 26, 2004 ) was a well-known contemporary poet in Japan . Using simple, clear language and everyday motifs, she described women as individuals in family and society. Some of her works have been included in Japanese school books.

Life

Ishigaki Rin was in 1920 in Akasaka , a former district of Tokyo born. After graduating from school in 1934, she earned a living as a bank clerk at Nihon Kōgyō Bank ( 日本 興業 銀行 ), where she was employed until she retired in 1970 . She remained unmarried.

As a member of a literary circle in her bank, she began writing poetry; A first collection appeared in 1959. Her second volume, published in 1968, won a poetry award for the best poetry collection of the year in Japan ( H 氏 賞 , H-shi-shō )

At that time in Japan it was still unusual for a woman to be self-employed and employed; she was sometimes referred to as the "bank clerk poet".

Ishigaki Rin published a total of four volumes of her own poetry, two anthologies together with works by other poets, and some essays and autobiographical works. Her best-known poem is the piece "Name Tag" contained in her second volume of poetry, which she later described as her most important.

Works

poetry

• The pan, the saucepan and the burning fire in front of me ( 私 の 前 に あ る 鍋 と お 釜 と 燃 え る 火 と ), Eureka, 1959.
• Nameplate and other works ( 表 札 な ど ) Sichosha, 1968.
• Curriculum Vitae ( 略 歴 ), Kaosha, 1979.
• Tender Words ( や さ し い 言葉 ), Kaosha, 1984.

Selected own poems edited by the author

• Seals Ishigaki Rins ( 石 垣 り ん 詩集 ) Shichosha, 1971.
• Heaven on the shoulder ( 空 を か つ い で ) Dowaya, 1997.
• At the corner of the universe ( 宇宙 の 片 隅 で ) Rironsha, 2004

Selected own and other poems edited by the author

• Seal in the house ( 家庭 の 詩 ) Chikumashobo, 1981.
• Landscape in Poetry ( 詩 の 中 の 風景: く ら し の 中 に よ み が え る ), Fujinnotomosha, 1992.

prose

• Humor no sakoku ( ユ ー モ ア の 鎖 国 ) Hokuyosha, 1973.
• Homura ni te o kazashite ( 焔 に 手 を か ざ し て ) Chikumashobo, 1980.
• Yoru no taiko ( 夜 の 太 鼓 ) Chikumashobo, 1989.

Japanese name: As is common in Japan, the family name comes before the first name in this article . So Ishigaki is the family name, Rin the first name.