“Clack!”—my pen falls from the table of the lecture chair; I’ve dozed off with my hair— sometimes red, sometimes blue—on my face; here and there I find friends, laughter, footprints, knowledge greeting me from time to time; it is not rare to see people exposing their toes to feel the breeze and the freeze with the…
Category: poetry
“Mu Dan and Ambiguity” by Candy Wang
Mu Dan’s (1918-1977) poems, while incorporating elements and sentiments of classical Chinese poetry, also exhibit characteristics of Western modernist aesthetics and thoughts. For example, his poetry was influenced by William Empson (1906-1984), and this influence partially ushered Mu Dan’s shift towards Modernism. Perhaps the most significant impact of Empson on Mu Dan’s poetry was the…
“Father and Son” by Stuart Christie
Brian Kershisnik’s “Father and Son Dancing” I. Father Help me carry the aluminium siding, son. I lean a little too far this way. But for your careful arm, I might fall over. It wasn’t Mao’s fault I helped those tigers fly over the mountain. Brave, kind, and foolish Americans—they couldn’t even read a character! I…
“An Old Anecdote” by Isabella Dong
It is an old anecdote That the kitten and the Lady Cat Go to the southern hill. The prevailing song of the sea Fuses every ephemeral being. Up the hill there is a tree: Daylight swims in its vermillion flame— Other blossoms not yet awoken. But eucalypti hastily dip Fresh leaflets In new green quick…
“The Song of Green Snake” by Isabella Dong
I seek you everywhere On the land once torn by war, The city overwhelmed By the flood you summoned People’s grief cried aloud When you threatened The wicked, bald hypocrite To let go of your husband. On the Broken Bridge You and I tempted fate. I sneaked into town by moonlight, Consumed by agony. The…
“Every Me A We, Every We A Me” by Jason S Polley
rare indeed a man sent me an autograph from Beau Jack. he said that Beau Jack asked him to send it on to me. I told the man to tell Beau Jack that I was honored. have you heard of him? he was a prizefighter. many men box but he was a fighter, a terror,…
Headspace: Gary Lam
Headspace: A series in which teaching staff and students from the English Department write about a place or space they go to write, read, study or create. [Read all entries.] [Revisit the “Ongoing” series.] [Revisit the “Interrogative” series.] Café Je t’aime, Sheung Shui Calm, blissful nights with fine weather. Dark, quiet alley in Shek Wu…
“In Your Absence” by Jason Eng Hun Lee
“Still Life With Eight Oyster Shells” by Tammy Ho I said when you moved into my life, ‘fill the room and the room will be yours‘, so you took possession of everything and set them to darkness in your absence. They will not forget your subtle grace: the sofa stoops to pick up your weight,…
“Ever More Ed Perfect Perfect Im More Ever” by Jason S Polley
“I See You, Ménilmontant” by Tammy Ho Over Wards back read re please sdraw kcab daer er esaelP is wards back it If ohw syaS is read re read re If si daer er daer er fI And not simply read If can read simple be ever fI If work krow fI Smell Correct…
“Bookworm Moments” by Tammy Lai-Ming Ho
Earlier this month, funded by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, I attended the Beijing and Suzhou Bookworm Literary Festivals. In Beijing, I was a speaker on the panels “Poetry Around the World” and “Writing Place” and in Suzhou, I was on the panels “Agree to be Different!” and “Literature Across Frontiers”. During my stay…
“A Cantonese Curse / against the Fur Industry / in Hong Kong English” by Lian-Hee Wee
Nico said, ‘ Poor guy!’ Cheese in buns chart low sea fart. Mob pays the young Czar. Translation: Zombies on the road. Shorted rectums, useless dongs. The dregs who flay kids. Note: The haiku is to be read in Hong Kong English (with her special syllable structures) to reveal the Cantonese curse (translated). Thanks to…
“The Window” by Daisy Lam
One drunken night, people living on my floor decided that they wanted more windows. ::::: Daisy Lam is a third-year student studying at the Department of English and the Department of Education. [Read all entries by Daisy.]
“The Lie” by Zabrina Lo
Her seat has been empty for a year. Still we sit together. Not together. Around the table we eat the tasteless water chestnut cakes which I insist ordering. I lie that the plum rain of China in early January nourishes the jade-like crunchy corms – the best time to savour this New Year’s dish. But…
“How A Ceiling Fan Rotates” by William Ng
I sat at the back of a classroom With twenty lads in a warm and humid afternoon. My mentor taught his English before the board, Writing cursive with his chalk. I caught a certain breeze of calm, Gazing at a buzzing ceiling fan Its metal blades revolving around a milky white and pivotal round. It…
“Weathered” by Grace Wong Hiu Yan
It was declared the last storm of the summer, when the wind was strong and billowing curtains of rain scattered paklan petals over the tiled courtyard, and silver-veined wind chimes echoed the rhythm of beaded eaves. After a while the rain quieted, the clogged drains stirred themselves into delusional cups of tea, and the…
“Late Arrival” by Pamela Wong
Long have I departed from you, long have I been petrified at the front steps, gazing at the gate, reconstructing the countless hours you had spent here, with the stubborn street light, dimmed in the swirling smoke of nicotine. For twelve years had it questioned your patient heart? It agitates me as I am ready…
“Model Factory Man” by Jimmy Chan
His altar was at a food factory. His piety was rated satisfactory. There he performed rituals and pushed buttons, Where he devoted himself to make more muttons. Suddenly the Machine snarled and growled That cowed the acolyte to cower and bow. Then the bell rang a deafening ring And the lights painted his altar with…
“Another Matthew Bear” by Cheng Tim Tim
“We would love to provide bears to all of you who are mourning the loss of someone special. However, we are a very small group and are doing this just for fallen service member’s families.” —The Matthew Freeman Project Covered in a piece of the army uniform you’d worn, now unstained as in the morning…
“And She Walked On” by GiGi To Man Chee
Removing two zero eight six from my timetable, I reluctantly enrol in a different course on a different day. There’s no doubt poetry is not replaceable, But the die has been cast for my schedule on Fridays. My teacher enthusiastically asked us to read a cat poem, lightly, ………………………………………………………light-heartedly. I wanted to respond, but could…
“Gastritis” by Vinton Poon
. My stomach acid suddenly decides to be adventurous. Without a passport, they travel up. Little do they know, they’re not the most refined tourists, Leaving a trace of blazing pain in my throat. The body is not the most adaptive object. To accommodate, only congee can pass my lips, Their grand voyage has chased…
Ongoing Moments: Heidi Huang
Ongoing Moments: A series in which teaching staff and students from the English Department respond to a photograph of their choice. [Read all entries.] [Revisit the “Interrogative” series.] My Collection Of Notebooks Only a few pages used in each. Some have been there for years. Some new arrivals. “In the beginning was the written…
Ongoing Moments: John Wakefield
Ongoing Moments: A series in which teaching staff and students from the English Department respond to a photograph of their choice. [Read all entries.] [Revisit the “Interrogative” series.] . Chemistry your photograph: the chemistry of remembering fixed on the card your child: the chemistry of remembering folded in the flesh —by Brian Holton (a friend…
“Are The Yellow Ribbons ‘We’?” by Nicola Chan Oi Ching
We are nonconformists who conform to wear the yellow ribbon in the heart of hearts singing “Umbrella Revolution” We create a utopia-to-be. No screenings or selections. No appointed positions. No age differentiation. No gender discrimination. We learn to unlearn to relearn words like “policemen”, “umbrella”, “democracy” Denotations and connotations shifting in time with history. Since when to…
“An Encounter at City Express” by Thomas Deng Guochang
. On “An Encounter at City Express”: The free verse poem was drafted during my summer residency at the MFA creative writing program at City University of Hong Kong in 2011. City Express is the name of the canteen at AC1, CityU, in which I had my first writing workshop. I was at City Express one…
“Intersection Collaborative Learning Project” — A Showcase of the Best Works (with an introduction by Heidi Huang and Holden Liang Qichao)
This month, students from the English Department’s Master’s programme in Literary and Comparative Studies (MALCS) joined the students from the undergraduate course Hong Kong Stories (taught by Heidi Huang) in an “Intersection Collaborative Learning Project”. The collaborative field trip which they undertook throughout Hong Kong was inspired by local modernist writer Liu Yichang’s short story…
“HongKongopoly” by Jason Eng Hun Lee
. . The object of the game is to become the wealthiest player through buying, renting and selling property. Parker Brothers Pick up a top hat, tailor made, or try on new leather boots, the latest edition for players, enter by steam ship or train and take a stroll across town, ready to turn your…
“cemetery miss you” by Jason S Polley
Jason S Polley at the Taj Mahal, Agra, India, mid-May 2004. Photo by Maria Fernanda Jaramillo Zapata. . . folder b file 1 0 min 17 sec hash it come in sheet with a stamp every sheet have to be stamp with a company name so you always want the company name its valuable you…
“Indicium” by Paavo Haavikko, translated by Douglas Robinson
Image source: British Library (via.) 1 Now Ehrensvard starts building a great fortress on the Wolf Islands, every year a barrel of gold is shipped all the way from France for it, also a lilac bush, which he didn’t order. It takes root tenaciously in the barren soil, ten years from now you’ll have to…
“John Gave Rachel A Book” by Tammy Ho Lai-Ming
John gave Rachel a book, ten years ago John gave Rachel a book Of poetry— Western Wind: An Introduction to Poetry On the second page of the book John had written, in green: For Rachel, who doesn’t need An introduction to anything— Certainly not to poetry— With memories of all the Places we talked about…
“shivers shove eyelids” by Jason S Polley
“Diptych: Above & Below” by JSP. 28 July 2010. McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India. shivers shove eyelids up breaking seal abrupt ending fireplace dreams to smell of smiling sun hiking himalayan ridgerange brand newborn days rays misty mystic mountain snow rock and open torii gate guesthouse door reveals curious never idle youthful eyes and…
Department of English, Hong Kong Baptist University 