The Hiromi Chronicle by Hiromi Ito

September 15, 2006 1955 Born in Itabashi, Tokyo

1973 Graduated from a high school in Tokyo and admitted to Japanese Literature Department of Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo

1975 Started writing poetry and launched a poetry magazine, Random

1976 Contributed poems to Gendai Shi Techo, a major poetry magazine. Worked as an illustrator in a marketing company.

1978 Won the 16th Gendai Shi Techo Award. Published the first collection of poems Kusaki no Sora (The Plants and the Sky). Taught Japanese in a junior high school.

1979 Published the 2nd poetry book Princess. Quit being a school teacher, got married, disappointed, divorced, and became a cram school teacher in desperation (I was quite popular among students), edited various poetry magazines, and started poetry reading.

1980 Published Collected Poems of Hiromi Ito as a series of New Generation Poets from Shichosha, a major poetry publishing house. Read poems in collaboration with contemporary musicians at Zojyoji Temple Hall, which led me on many thoughts on the voice.

1981 Performed in A Tale of Hiromi Plucking Her Hair, a play by poet Shiroyasu Suzuki.

1982 Published Oume (Green Plums). Followed Masahiko Nishi, a student of comparative literature, to Poland which was then under martial law. Returned to Japan in the following year and married Nishi. Became a member of a poetry magazine Ichi Jyu Ichi (One Ten One).

1984 Gave birth to the first daughter, Kanoko. Moved to Kumamoto as Nishi took up a teaching post in Kumamoto University. The city saw an extraordinary outbreak of bagworms this year. Spent all of my savings to purchase the first word-processor, only to get criticized by everyone around me for using a machine to write poems.

1985 Published a poetry book Territory-Ron 2 (On Territory 2). Published an essay book Yoi Oppai, Warui Oppai (Good Breasts, Bad Breasts). Made many reading tours across Japan with the members of Ici Jyu Ichi. The reading in Okinawa was a break-through experience for my career. Launched a poetry magazine Hit with Toshiko Hirata and Keiko Matsui.

1986 Gave birth to the second daughter, Sarako.

1987 Co-authored a poetry book Territory-Ron 1 (On Terriory 1) with the photographer Nobuyoshi Araki. Published an essay book Onaka, Hoppe, Oshiri (Tummy, Cheek, Bottom). Took part in a reading tour with Mutsuo Takahashi and Mikiro Sasaki to Northern Japan. Participated in an international symposium on literature.

1988 Published Collected Poems of Hiromi Ito. The family moved to Poland as Nishi took a teaching post in Warsaw University.

1990 Participated in Japan-Germany Female Writers Conference which led me to many thoughts. Traveled in Mongolia with the poet Toshiko Hirata which led me likewise. Introduced by Hisao Kanaseki, English literature professor who translated Native American poetry, to the American poet Jerome Rosenberg.

1991 Co-authored a poetry book Noro to Saniwa (Noro and Saniwa) with the feminist critic Chizuko Ueno. Divorced Nishi, but continued to live with him. Ran away from home and stayed for 3 months in the US relying on support from J. Rosenberg. Started to give readings in different places enthusiastically.

1992 Published a novel Kazoku Art (Family Art).

1993 Published a poetry book Watashi wa Anjuhimeko de aru (I am Anjyuhimeko).

1995 Co-authored a poetry book Te, Ashi, Niku, Karada (Hand, Foot, Flesh, Body) with the photographer Miyako Ishiuchi. Gave birth to the third daughter, Tome.

1996 Translated Nigorie, a late-19th century novel by the female novelist Ichiyo Higuchi, to the modern Japanese.

1997 Moved with three daughters to California to live with Harold Cohen. Had a tough time as a mother of teenage girls struggling to fit in the new place.

1999 Co-authored an essay book Nani Tabeta? (What did you eat?) with Naomi Edamoto, Another essay book Ito Fukigen Seisakusho (Ito’s Ill-Temper Factory). Published a novel la nina, which won the 21st Noma Literature Award.

2001 Translated Karen Hess’s novel Out of the Dust (Japanese title, Billy Joe no Daichi)

2004 Published a collection of short stories Nihon no Fushigi na Hanashi (Miraculous Stories from the Japanese Buddhist Tradition). Published a picture book Nacchan no Natsu (The Summer of Nacchan) with the illustrator Ken Katayama. Published a collection of essays, stories, poems, and translations Love Song.

2005 Stayed in Kumamoto, Japan, from September to December. Published an essay book Let’s Speak English, and Midori no Obasan (Mrs. Green-Thumb). Published a long poem Kawara Arekusa (Wild Grass upon a Riverbank).