Obit poems /
"After her mother died, poet Victoria Chang refused to write elegies. Rather, she distilled her grief during a feverish two weeks by writing scores of poetic obituaries for all she lost in the world. In 'Obit', Chang writes of "the way memory gets up after someone has died and st...
| Main Author: | Chang, Victoria, 1970- |
|---|---|
| Format: | Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Port Townsend, Washington :
Copper Canyon Press,
[2020]
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| Physical Description: |
x, 113 pages ; 23 cm. |
| Subjects: |
| Summary: |
"After her mother died, poet Victoria Chang refused to write elegies. Rather, she distilled her grief during a feverish two weeks by writing scores of poetic obituaries for all she lost in the world. In 'Obit', Chang writes of "the way memory gets up after someone has died and starts walking." These poems reinvent the form of newspaper obituary to both name what has died ("civility," "language," "the future," "Mother's blue dress") and the cultural impact of death on the living. Whereas elegy attempts to immortalize the dead, an obituary expresses loss, and the love for the dead becomes a conduit for self-expression. In this unflinching and lyrical book, Chang meets her grief and creates a powerful testament for the living."-- |
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| Item Description: |
"A Lannan literary selection"--back cover. Includes bibliographical references (pages 107-110). I. My father's frontal lobe -- My mother -- Victoria Chang -- Victoria Chang -- Voice mail -- Language -- My children, children -- Each time I write hope -- Language -- Victoria Chang -- Future -- Civility -- My mother's lungs -- Privacy -- My mother's teeth -- I tell my children -- Friendships -- Gait -- Logic -- Optimism -- Ambition -- Chair -- Do you smell my cries? -- I tell my children -- Tears -- Memory -- Language -- Tomas Tranströmer -- Approval -- Sometimes all I have -- You don't need a thing -- Secrets -- Music -- Appetite -- Form -- Optimism -- I can't say with faith -- To love anyone -- Hands -- Oxygen -- Reason -- Home -- Memory -- II. I am a miner. The light burns blue -- III. Friendships -- Caretakers -- Subject matter -- Sadness -- Empathy -- Obituary writer -- Do you see the tree? -- My children, children -- Doctors -- Yesterday -- Grief -- Doctors -- Blame -- Time -- Today I show you -- My children, children -- Form -- Control -- Situation -- Memory -- Doctors -- Obsession -- My children, children -- My children don't have -- Clock -- Hope -- Head -- Blue dress -- Hindsight -- Priest -- I put on a shirt -- Where do they find hope? -- Car -- My mother's favorite potted tree -- Similes -- Affection -- Home -- When a mother dies -- My children, children -- Bees -- Victoria Chang -- Clothes -- Guilt -- Ocean -- Face -- My children say no -- Have you ever looked -- IV. America -- I am ready to -- My children, children -- Notes -- Acknowledgments -- About the author. "After her mother died, poet Victoria Chang refused to write elegies. Rather, she distilled her grief during a feverish two weeks by writing scores of poetic obituaries for all she lost in the world. In 'Obit', Chang writes of "the way memory gets up after someone has died and starts walking." These poems reinvent the form of newspaper obituary to both name what has died ("civility," "language," "the future," "Mother's blue dress") and the cultural impact of death on the living. Whereas elegy attempts to immortalize the dead, an obituary expresses loss, and the love for the dead becomes a conduit for self-expression. In this unflinching and lyrical book, Chang meets her grief and creates a powerful testament for the living."-- Provided by publisher. |
| Physical Description: |
x, 113 pages ; 23 cm. |
| Bibliography: |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 107-110). |
| ISBN: |
9781556595745 1556595743 |