Poems that bridge the distance between Japan and America, offering solace in an ocean of displacement.

In this debut collection, Yuko Taniguchi weaves a compelling personal history into these very approachable poems that bridge the gap between her Japanese ancestry and Midwestern present, while paralleling the care provided by nurses to the experiences of the ill, the dying, and the victims of Hiroshima. Many of these quiet and deceptively simple poems are lovely reflections on how cultural divides can manifest, for good or ill, in our own personal relationships. While bearing witness to the compassion of nurses, the hardships of injury and illness, and the solitude brought on by marrying outside one’s culture, Taniguchi’s words become a haven for human frailties and peaceful reflection, offering solace in an ocean of displacement.