A decade in the making, Jaihiun Kim’s Modern Korean Verse in Sijo Form offers what will be the twentieth century’s definitive collection of sijo. Kim begins with the work of Nam-son Ch’oe in the early 20th century and brings the collection up to date with recent poems from Chi-yob Yi and P’il-gon Kim.

Similar to the Japanese haiku in its brevity and imagery, Korean sijo has shown itself to be remarkably responsive to contemporary concerns. Employing the modern idiom but retaining a hint of Eastern tonality, Kim offers Westerners a rich and rare reading experience. Kim includes an essay on the history and practice of sijo poetry.