酷我-北美枫

[anna]

Five years ago, in an interview, I was asked, “Why do you write?” I had been confident about the answer until then. But I found myself shuttering, looking for the right words.

I thought that I write because I love to write. Yet, the more my writing reveals my true self, the more I doubt this statement. While I was preparing my first collection of poetry, the answer became clearer: The motivation is love, indeed, not just for writing, but for love itself.

I have read many poems by Emily Dickinson, and I always wondered what a fantastic world she brought to us, even being isolated in her Amherst house. “The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience,” she said. This may rarely be appreciated by our generation today who are influenced by the so-called convenient knowledge and artificial beauty of this modern life. We seldom honor the essence of our life: Love. The truth is, we miss it.

So why I write becomes obvious now: it is love. In writing, the love is not confined to an inner self, but opens as a door to the outside. It grows and develops into a whole universe full of mysteries and beauty. One can find oneself wandering in the wondrous world of Alice who holds a golden key, and unveils a new wonder, again and again. This journey is so incredible that it continues to transform me into a loving person with striking senses, inner wisdom and profound appreciation.

I sent several samples of my books to readers who seldom read poetry. I wondered what their responses would be. They thrilled me when I recognized that the magic was passed on to them. They kept telling me that they never knew how beautiful poetry could be and how vivid love could be sensed in various ways. I am glad that my words were resonated, and became the key to open their world. The door may be only ajar, but some light has been shed. This may be a start for them.

Some poets define me as a romantic poet, and some regard me as more Wordsworthian than Keatsian. I will not argue with them. I want you to read my work and define me yourself. The power of our imagination is beyond our rationales. Anything could be possible.

For my readers for whom my work opens their door to the beauty of poetry, and even more to the beauty of life itself, I want to say how happy I am, and here is a poem from my heart.



We talk about twilight.
Voices find resonance
falling on a rainy night.
They echo a rock’s reply,
like fish leaping out of a river.

The door opens and closes;
we listen to bread and toaster sizzling,
as a love puzzle feeding our still life.

River flows in me.
Like a hooked fish,
I listen to the tide’s message.
The tea grows cold.

I fear to offer
anything
for what appears to be an apple,
may taste like a lemon.


This poem titled “Why Hesitate?” summarizes our mutual exploring of the poetry world, composed of the titles of twelve poems that you will find in this book.

As a poet, I have been puzzled by the questions: who am I, what can I offer? Words are like starry seeds of a cut apple that simulate reflections and imagination. Life itself is peeled like onion, sometimes tasting like a lemon. But we can always keep the door ajar.[/hide]
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[[星子安娜]]

Five years ago, in an interview, I was asked, “Why do you write?” I had been confident about the answer until then. But I found myself shuttering, looking for the right words.

I thought that I write because I love to write. Yet, the more my writing reveals my true self, the more I doubt this statement. While I was preparing my first collection of poetry, the answer became clearer: The motivation is love, indeed, not just for writing, but for love itself.

I have read many poems by Emily Dickinson, and I always wondered what a fantastic world she brought to us, even being isolated in her Amherst house. “The soul should always stand ajar, ready to welcome the ecstatic experience,” she said. This may rarely be appreciated by our generation today who are influenced by the so-called convenient knowledge and artificial beauty of this modern life. We seldom honor the essence of our life: Love. The truth is, we miss it.

So why I write becomes obvious now: it is love. In writing, the love is not confined to an inner self, but opens as a door to the outside. It grows and develops into a whole universe full of mysteries and beauty. One can find oneself wandering in the wondrous world of Alice who holds a golden key, and unveils a new wonder, again and again. This journey is so incredible that it continues to transform me into a loving person with striking senses, inner wisdom and profound appreciation.

I sent several samples of my books to readers who seldom read poetry. I wondered what their responses would be. They thrilled me when I recognized that the magic was passed on to them. They kept telling me that they never knew how beautiful poetry could be and how vivid love could be sensed in various ways. I am glad that my words were resonated, and became the key to open their world. The door may be only ajar, but some light has been shed. This may be a start for them.

Some poets define me as a romantic poet, and some regard me as more Wordsworthian than Keatsian. I will not argue with them. I want you to read my work and define me yourself. The power of our imagination is beyond our rationales. Anything could be possible.

For my readers for whom my work opens their door to the beauty of poetry, and even more to the beauty of life itself, I want to say how happy I am, and here is a poem from my heart.



We talk about twilight.
Voices find resonance
falling on a rainy night.
They echo a rock’s reply,
like fish leaping out of a river.

The door opens and closes;
we listen to bread and toaster sizzling,
as a love puzzle feeding our still life.

River flows in me.
Like a hooked fish,
I listen to the tide’s message.
The tea grows cold.

I fear to offer
anything
for what appears to be an apple,
may taste like a lemon.


This poem titled “Why Hesitate?” summarizes our mutual exploring of the poetry world, composed of the titles of twelve poems that you will find in this book.

As a poet, I have been puzzled by the questions: who am I, what can I offer? Words are like starry seeds of a cut apple that simulate reflections and imagination. Life itself is peeled like onion, sometimes tasting like a lemon. But we can always keep the door ajar.[/hide]
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[anna]

It is a rare thing to come across a first collection of poems that leaves the reader feeling completely captivated and awed. Such is the case with Anna Yin’s collection, “The Door Ajar.” Writing mainly in short narrative lyrics, Yin’s highly imagistic style brims with freshly-conceived similes and metaphors and an economy of language that belies the powerful messages of loss and love. These are poems that remain with you long after you have finished reading them; a collection that constantly surprises and delights with its beautifully-rendered images, unexpected turns of phrases, and its equally powerful quiet moments of longing and regret. Simply dazzling!

--Laura Lush
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[[星子安娜]]

It is a rare thing to come across a first collection of poems that leaves the reader feeling completely captivated and awed. Such is the case with Anna Yin’s collection, “The Door Ajar.” Writing mainly in short narrative lyrics, Yin’s highly imagistic style brims with freshly-conceived similes and metaphors and an economy of language that belies the powerful messages of loss and love. These are poems that remain with you long after you have finished reading them; a collection that constantly surprises and delights with its beautifully-rendered images, unexpected turns of phrases, and its equally powerful quiet moments of longing and regret. Simply dazzling!

--Laura Lush
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[anna]

An authentic, direct tone brings the author's native Chinese voice to these poems, which are charming and fresh at their best.

There is a Mary Oliver-like feel of 'merging with nature' captured in simple diction and similes, and unusual images, as in:

"When the river gets shallow,/ my skin begins to float out." --from "A Rock's Reply" pg.11

"We lie like flatfish" --from "Raspberries" pg 12

"...red seeds / like tips of lit-up cigarettes" -- from "Because of the Wind" pg. 21

"You wish to enter / a dim-lit cave for its burning tongues." --from "The Love Puzzle" pg. 27

There is effective use of titling, to draw the reader in and offer content, such as:

"A Rock's Reply" pg 11, "We Turn into Them" pg 28, "Fish in a House" pg 36, "Root Carving" pg 41.


There is much potential for musicality -use of assonance and accentuation of slant rhyme, as well as use of enjambment to vary rhythm and impact.

---------Elana Wolff


Thank Elana very much for giving me a lot of suggestions and detailed comments. Here I only copied some from her three-page long comments.
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[[星子安娜]]

An authentic, direct tone brings the author's native Chinese voice to these poems, which are charming and fresh at their best.

There is a Mary Oliver-like feel of 'merging with nature' captured in simple diction and similes, and unusual images, as in:

"When the river gets shallow,/ my skin begins to float out." --from "A Rock's Reply" pg.11

"We lie like flatfish" --from "Raspberries" pg 12

"...red seeds / like tips of lit-up cigarettes" -- from "Because of the Wind" pg. 21

"You wish to enter / a dim-lit cave for its burning tongues." --from "The Love Puzzle" pg. 27

There is effective use of titling, to draw the reader in and offer content, such as:

"A Rock's Reply" pg 11, "We Turn into Them" pg 28, "Fish in a House" pg 36, "Root Carving" pg 41.


There is much potential for musicality -use of assonance and accentuation of slant rhyme, as well as use of enjambment to vary rhythm and impact.

---------Elana Wolff


Thank Elana very much for giving me a lot of suggestions and detailed comments. Here I only copied some from her three-page long comments.
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[anna]

Anna Yin’s poetry provides a gracious blend of elements from both Asian and Western poetic traditions. She says in one poem, “I wake to listen.” Indeed, she does listen: she listens especially to the natural environment, dreams and the longings of the heart. There is a mysterious quality about some of her poems which pulls at the reader’s feelings. Images (such as “a river / where a black rose floated,” and metaphors (such as tea grown cold, bread in a toaster and "a hooked fish") will not readily be forgotten. You will want to put this book on the nightstand or coffee table where you can pick them up and read them again.

-- Wilda Morris: President of Poets and Patrons of Chicago and author of Szechwan Shrimp and Fortune Cookies: Poems from a Chinese Restaurant.

----Thank Wilda Morris very much for writing this for my new book. I was honored. (Anna)
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com

[[星子安娜]]

Anna Yin’s poetry provides a gracious blend of elements from both Asian and Western poetic traditions. She says in one poem, “I wake to listen.” Indeed, she does listen: she listens especially to the natural environment, dreams and the longings of the heart. There is a mysterious quality about some of her poems which pulls at the reader’s feelings. Images (such as “a river / where a black rose floated,” and metaphors (such as tea grown cold, bread in a toaster and "a hooked fish") will not readily be forgotten. You will want to put this book on the nightstand or coffee table where you can pick them up and read them again.

-- Wilda Morris: President of Poets and Patrons of Chicago and author of Szechwan Shrimp and Fortune Cookies: Poems from a Chinese Restaurant.

----Thank Wilda Morris very much for writing this for my new book. I was honored. (Anna)
_________________
---------------------

Anna Yin

《爱的灯塔-星子安娜双语诗选》
<Nightlights> <Seven Nights with the Chinese Zodiac> ...

http://annapoetry.com