The Li-Young Lee The Li-Young Lee Lowdown:Lowdown:

Stephanie Ho and Lauren EllisStephanie Ho and Lauren Ellis

A Presentation on the Poet Li-Young LeeA Presentation on the Poet Li-Young Lee

Biographical InfoBiographical Info

Was Born August 19, 1957, in Jakarta, IndonesiaWas Born August 19, 1957, in Jakarta, Indonesia Has great pride in his Chinese heritageHas great pride in his Chinese heritage Mother was daughter of 1Mother was daughter of 1stst president of president of

Republic of ChinaRepublic of China Father personal doctor to Mao ZedongFather personal doctor to Mao Zedong Father was one year political prisonerFather was one year political prisoner This led to the family being on the runThis led to the family being on the run Ended up in America around the time Lee was 7Ended up in America around the time Lee was 7

Influences on Lee’s WorkInfluences on Lee’s Work

Childhood spent on the runChildhood spent on the run Grew up in American cultureGrew up in American culture Close relationship with his fatherClose relationship with his father His father went blindHis father went blind

Lee’s StyleLee’s Style

StrengthStrength SilenceSilence SimplicitySimplicity Inspired by classical Inspired by classical

Chinese poetsChinese poets StructureStructure

Irregular stanza Irregular stanza organizationorganization

No specific rhyming No specific rhyming patternpattern

Themes & MotifsThemes & Motifs

Everyday/trivial thingsEveryday/trivial things Fatherhood and childhoodFatherhood and childhood Differences b/w American and Differences b/w American and

Chinese cultureChinese culture Fruit (Fruit (PersimmonsPersimmons and and BlossomsBlossoms)) Fire, light, ice…Fire, light, ice…

““Early in the Early in the Morning”Morning”

While the long grain is softeningWhile the long grain is softeningin the water, gurglingin the water, gurglingover a low stove flame, beforeover a low stove flame, beforethe salted Winter Vegetable is the salted Winter Vegetable is slicedslicedfor breakfast, before the birds,for breakfast, before the birds,my mother glides an ivory combmy mother glides an ivory combthrough her hair, heavythrough her hair, heavyand black as calligrapher's ink.and black as calligrapher's ink.

She sits at the foot of the bed.She sits at the foot of the bed.My father watches, listens forMy father watches, listens forthe music of combthe music of combagainst hair.against hair.

My mother combs,My mother combs,pulls her hair backpulls her hair backtight, rolls ittight, rolls itaround two fingers, pins itaround two fingers, pins itin a bun to the back of her head.in a bun to the back of her head.For half a hundred years she has For half a hundred years she has done this.done this.My father likes to see it like this.My father likes to see it like this.He says it is kempt. He says it is kempt.

But I knowBut I knowit is because of the wayit is because of the waymy mother's hair fallsmy mother's hair fallswhen he pulls the pins out.when he pulls the pins out.Easily, like the curtainsEasily, like the curtainswhen they untie them in the when they untie them in the evening.evening.

Literary CriticismLiterary Criticism

Generally:Generally: Emphasizes his Chinese heritageEmphasizes his Chinese heritage Based on turbulent childhood memoriesBased on turbulent childhood memories Most poems concern his father – a strong presence in Most poems concern his father – a strong presence in

Lee’s life.Lee’s life. Expert use of metaphorsExpert use of metaphors Formal graceFormal grace PowerfulPowerful SensorySensory “…“…graceful layering of short, declarative phrases…”graceful layering of short, declarative phrases…”

The Weight of SweetnessThe Weight of Sweetness:: “‘“‘Surprising’ structure”: abstract Surprising’ structure”: abstract concrete concrete

““Reverse” fairytaleReverse” fairytale

Literary CriticismLiterary Criticism

The City in Which I Love You The City in Which I Love You (Publisher’s Weekly):(Publisher’s Weekly):

““Weaves a remarkable web of memory from Weaves a remarkable web of memory from the multifarious fibers of his experience.”the multifarious fibers of his experience.”

““Images are economical yet fluid, and his Images are economical yet fluid, and his language is often startling for its brave language is often startling for its brave honesty.”honesty.”

““A kaleidoscope of dreams and nightmares…”A kaleidoscope of dreams and nightmares…” PersimmonsPersimmons

“…“…reaches into the murky depths of memory reaches into the murky depths of memory to salvage cherishable characteristics of his to salvage cherishable characteristics of his parents and their culture…”parents and their culture…”

AgreeAgree

Master use of tone Master use of tone “graceful “graceful layering”layering”

Father & childhood had large impactFather & childhood had large impact MetaphorsMetaphors MemoriesMemories Powerful, sensory, formal grace…Powerful, sensory, formal grace…

DisagreeDisagree

Style Style cannotcannot be be explained by explained by heritageheritage Didn’t know Didn’t know

parent’s heritage parent’s heritage wellwell

Not always short, Not always short, declarative declarative sentencessentences

“ “From From Blossoms”Blossoms”

From blossoms comesFrom blossoms comesthis brown paper bag of peachesthis brown paper bag of peacheswe bought from the boywe bought from the boyat the bend in the road where we at the bend in the road where we turned towardturned towardsigns painted Peaches.signs painted Peaches.

From laden boughs, from hands,From laden boughs, from hands,from sweet fellowship in the bins,from sweet fellowship in the bins,comes nectar at the roadside, comes nectar at the roadside, succulentsucculentpeaches we devour, dusty skin peaches we devour, dusty skin and all,and all,comes the familiar dust of comes the familiar dust of summer, dust we eat.summer, dust we eat.

O, to take what we love inside,O, to take what we love inside,to carry within us an orchard, to to carry within us an orchard, to eateatnot only the skin, but the shade,not only the skin, but the shade,not only the sugar, but the days, not only the sugar, but the days, to holdto holdthe fruit in our hands, adore it, the fruit in our hands, adore it, then bite intothen bite intothe round jubilance of peach.the round jubilance of peach.

There are days we liveThere are days we liveas if death were nowhereas if death were nowherein the background; from joyin the background; from joyto joy to joy, from wing to wing,to joy to joy, from wing to wing,from blossom to blossom tofrom blossom to blossom toimpossible blossom, to sweet impossible blossom, to sweet impossible blossom.impossible blossom.

ConclusionsConclusions

Lee’s style is unique due to the fact Lee’s style is unique due to the fact that he is the second generation of that he is the second generation of Asian-American.Asian-American.

Poems center around memories, Poems center around memories, nature, differences in culture.nature, differences in culture.

Strong voice, simplicity in style.Strong voice, simplicity in style. Metaphors play huge part in many of Metaphors play huge part in many of

his poems.his poems.