Angel at the Earth's Extreme

The intensely confessional work of Japan’s most famous modernist poet, considered the Japanese Rimbaud, whose poems have inspired cultlike devotion—especially among fans of the hit anime show Bungo Stray Dogs—in a brilliant new translation, the most comprehensive in English

A Penguin Classic

Although he lived only to age thirty, Nakahara Chūya ranks among the finest of Japanese poets, evoking in his work the alienation, ennui, and romantic melancholy of a changing world. This edition collects both his published and his unpublished work, from his traditional Japanese tanka to his experiments with European modernism, and captures in a melodic new translation the beauty and intimacy of Chūya’s voice, showing why it has resonated with readers for a century.