A Net of Fireflies is a disappointment to anyone looking for a great compilation of the best Haiku. Beautifully bound and decorated, including many wonderful full-color paintings that bring the haiku to life, the appeal of this book comes to a screeching halt after reading only one or two pages. Originally written by Japanese masters, Harold Stewart's translation of these poems turns almost EVERY ONE into something resembling a cutsie-poo children's rhyme. Two brief, rhyming lines--many with exclamation points!! You can never shake the feeling that you're not reading haiku, just some Englishman's lame poems. If you're expecting quiet dignity, subtle playfulness, or the elightened rhythm of direct translation, this is not the book for you.