About the Author

Lisa Samuels is the author of thirteen books of poetry and prose, with recent experiments in memoir ANTI M (2013) and the novel Tender Girl (2015). Her poetry is in anthologies such as Out of Everywhere 2 (2015) and has inspired scholarly work and musical scores internationally. Her recent critical essays include Over Hear: six types of poetry experiment in Aotearoa/New Zealand (2015) and her current projects are Symphony for Human Transport (poetry), The Long White Cloud of Unknowing (prose), Imagining what we don't know (essays), and continuing experiments in soundwork. A transcultural writer, Lisa teaches at the University of Auckland in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Sawako Nakayasu was born in Japan and has lived mostly in the US since the age of six. Her most recent books are The Ants (Les Figues Press, 2014), and TEXTURE NOTES (Letter Machine, 2010). Her recent translations include The Collected Poems of Sagawa Chika (Canarium Books, 2015), and Tatsumi Hijikata's Costume en Face (Ugly Duckling Presse, 2015). Other books include HURRY HOME HONEY (Burning Deck, 2009), and Mouth: Eats Color--Sagawa Chika Translations, Anti-translations, & Originals, which is a multilingual work of both original and translated poetry. Her translation of Takashi Hiraide's For the Fighting Spirit of the Walnut (New Directions, 2008) received the 2009 Best Translated Book Award from Three Percent. She has received fellowships from the NEA and PEN, and her own work has been translated into Japanese, Norwegian, Swedish, Arabic, Chinese, and Vietnamese. Sawako Nakayasu was born in Japan and has lived mostly in the US since the age of six. Her recent books include THE ANTS (Les Figues, 2014) and a translation of THE COLLECTED POEMS OF SAGAWA CHIKA (Canarium Books, 2014). She is also the author of SO WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN TIME OR (Verse Press/Wave Books, 2004), NOTHING FICTIONAL BUT THE ACCURACY OR ARRANGEMENT (SHE (Quale Press, 2006), and TEXTURE NOTES (Letter Machine Editions, 2010). Her other translations include FOUR FROM JAPAN: CONTEMPORARY POETRY & ESSAYS BY WOMEN (Litmus Press, 2006), To the Vast Blooming Sky by Sagawa (2007), and For the Fighting Spirit of the Walnut by Hiraide (2008). Her poetry has been translated into Japanese, Swedish, Arabic, Chinese, and Vietnamese. She holds an MFA from Brown University and has received grants from the NEA and PEN for translating Japanese poetry.