The History of Rain

Poetry. "There are six poems in this book by a poet who claims his ambition is to write but a dozen poems in his life. Clearly, the lessons of that California workshop did not take and Iino’s modesty emerged intact. Yet he is no delicate plant, no minimalist who seeks to ostentatiously place an orchid and a worn-out sneaker just so in an empty room. He has a big appetite for things of this world, as befits the Japanese translator of John Ashbery. Iino has also translated Paul Auster’s poetry and written a reader’s guide to Auster’s work. Thus his imagination—and his American—have spent time with two of America’s more remarkable writers. Iino made good use of that time and let his tiger pounce when they were ready"—William Corbett.