Abyss by Ya Hsien, Paperback | Indigo Chapters

A seminal work from the second wave of Chinese modernism. So great is Ya Hsien's influence on younger generations of Taiwanese and Chinese writers that he is sometimes referred to simply as The Poet." Yet he never wrote a second book after Abyss appeared in an expanded edition in 1971. This single book's variety and virtuosity have made it a modern classic and the poet something of a legend. A new documentary, "Ya Hsien: A Life that Sings," was nominated for Best Documentary at the 2015 Taipei Film Festival. Under the Barber Pole The barbers sing Always it's the same wheat-harvest festivalAlways an abundance of rye without earsAlways it is reaped, reapedOn the land of inspirationA small southern path leads to ears of grainAnd it's also a kind of horticultural schoolA kind of beautyA kind of agricultural reformA kind of taste for something other than Greek sculpture The barbers sing Ya Hsien's poetry runs the gamut from realism to surrealism, incorporating elements of folksong and modernist poetics, expressing a wide emotional range, and deftly capturing the critical spirit of the times. The sixty poems are divided into seven sections that present differing styles and themes, including "Wartime," "Songs without Music", and "Wild Water Chestnuts." The pen name Ya Hsien (his given name is Wang Ching-Lin) means "mute string." Ya Hsien lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. Award-winning translatorJohn Balcomlives in Monterey, California." | Abyss by Ya Hsien, Paperback | Indigo Chapters