Since Milkweed Editions' original publication of The Phoenix Gone, the Terrace Empty, Marilyn Chin has been widely celebrated as a consummate poet of the hybrid experience. At once ancient and contemporary, personal and political, grounded and yet uniquely dazzling, this extraordinary collection blends Asian and Western sensibilities in a pioneering way.Here, with wit and energy, Chin defines her existence as a first-generation Asian American woman,...
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TravelI just taught this book to an undergraduate class of English majors. The students loved the variety, the political conviction and the rich imagery of these poems. "How I Got That Name" is one of Chin's most anthologized pieces: we began with a deep discussion of that piece as autobiographical material. Poem after poem, the students all found beautiful and interesting passages. "A Portrait of the Self As Nation" is a long...
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Miss Chin's book of poetry is a work of art in the present day. Crisp images and the rhythms she establishes are a pleasure worth savoring. She manages to place one foot in the modern day American experience while still working and moving in the tradition of Chinese verse. This weaving of cultures is skillfully done. I could almost feel those ancient masters nodding proudly over her accomplishments.
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