With Garrison Keillor and his Lake Wobegon books, a reviewer never knows if he should concentrate on the written word or stress the whole Lake Wobegon phenomenon.
The same might be said for the book of high school teacher Machi Tawara. Her slight book of poetry, "Salad Anniversary," has created "Salad Madness" in Japan.The book has sold more than 3 million copies and spawned a movie and two television shows. It has also generated new interest in Tanka poetry. The poet herself has received more than 200,000 poems from readers.
Americans may be bewildered by such a hubbub over poetry - especially poems containing just 31 syllables and displaying veiled and puzzling observations. But to the Japanese, the book's popularity seems every bit as reasonable as Americans spending millions for a volume called "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten."
Anyone familiar with the Japanese culture, of course, knows of their penchant for understated art. Home decorating for the wealthiest Japanese family often consists of a vase, a few flowers and maybe a pot of tea.
They approach poetry the same way.
"Salad Anniversary" has more white space than ink in it. There are three or four tasteful photographs, a short "afterword," and page upon page of delicate little meditations. Each tiny poem is a mosaic tile being set into a larger picture. And though many of the poems are about love, Tawara uses the ancient Tanka form here to talk about modern wonders such as baseball, jazz and America itself.
Traditionalists are miffed that she's abandoned tradition. But the general population there is thrilled.
Here are a couple of poems from the "Always American" section:
With your right hand,
where the Line of Fate runs deep,
you slather sauce on your pork cutlet.
Because it was a spring
full of things to forget,
I listen all day to the Southern All Stars.
And this from "Baseball Game:"
Grieve with me -
the sureness of your touch
catching Frisbees
is missing in this romance.
Published by Kondansha Books in a handsome, high-quality edition, "Salad Anniversary" may not knock the socks off Americans the way it has the Japanese. But reading it will help Americans understand a little better what makes the Japanese culture tick, and add a light, sensitive touch to their lives at the same time.