Please tell us about the making of “Daddy’s Adopted Korean ‘Geisha’ Girl.”
I’m constantly searching for the connection to my Korean heritage. I was reading a book of Korean expressions and was drawn in by the phrase “the brother of a kisaeng,” which, I think, refers to sleazebags. The book talks about “kisaeng” as “female entertainers… in old Korea.” I also Googled “kisaeng.”
While making the poem, I was exploring the experience of being a Korean adoptee and being expected to play the role of the “geisha.” The poem is about wearing a mask and the life under the mask. It’s about the consequences of playing a role in a white man’s fantasy.
With the line The heart wants what it wants, I was thinking about Woody Allen.
How do you go about titling poems?
Writing poems is very mysterious to me. There are times when the titles come to me first. There are other times when words or phrases catch my attention. Sounds of words and images can evoke a sense of excitement or curiosity in me. Then the title may come afterwards.
What rituals or routines do you have to help maintain your writing practice?
I really enjoy watching movies and TV shows. It sounds terrible, but I love shows like Say Yes to the Dress. It’s a playful part of my practice and can make me more receptive to new ideas and creativity. Also, chocolate.
To get an MFA or not to get an MFA?
I got a MA in English, and I enjoyed studying poetry. There are programs that offer graduate assistantships and may help pay for your tuition and give you a stipend. I think that can be a good option for people. It depends on what each person hopes to get out of their experience in a program and if getting an MFA will be worth it for them. Studying poetry and literature can be a lot of fun. For me, I found it to be a valuable and enriching experience.
When you feel uninspired, which poet might you read for guidance and motivation?
I love Mary Oliver. I love Li-Young Lee. I’m fond of reading The Sun and coming across poems like “The World’s Oldest Person” by Elizabeth Onusko. The Sun also has a section called “Readers Write” that publishes readers’ writing. It’s one of my favorite sections. I feel a sense of connection to other people and our world. I cherish works of art like Gone with the Wind. And poetry in publications like diode, Eleven Eleven, Foundry, and Tinderbox Poetry Journal, to name a few. Poets and writers who seem to be channeling an almost otherworldly energy into their writing amaze and guide me. I was talking to a friend about it, and she brought up some questions that resonated with me — Where does that energy and wisdom come from? How can they know what they do?
I’m constantly searching for the connection to my Korean heritage. I was reading a book of Korean expressions and was drawn in by the phrase “the brother of a kisaeng,” which, I think, refers to sleazebags. The book talks about “kisaeng” as “female entertainers… in old Korea.” I also Googled “kisaeng.”
While making the poem, I was exploring the experience of being a Korean adoptee and being expected to play the role of the “geisha.” The poem is about wearing a mask and the life under the mask. It’s about the consequences of playing a role in a white man’s fantasy.
With the line The heart wants what it wants, I was thinking about Woody Allen.
How do you go about titling poems?
Writing poems is very mysterious to me. There are times when the titles come to me first. There are other times when words or phrases catch my attention. Sounds of words and images can evoke a sense of excitement or curiosity in me. Then the title may come afterwards.
What rituals or routines do you have to help maintain your writing practice?
I really enjoy watching movies and TV shows. It sounds terrible, but I love shows like Say Yes to the Dress. It’s a playful part of my practice and can make me more receptive to new ideas and creativity. Also, chocolate.
To get an MFA or not to get an MFA?
I got a MA in English, and I enjoyed studying poetry. There are programs that offer graduate assistantships and may help pay for your tuition and give you a stipend. I think that can be a good option for people. It depends on what each person hopes to get out of their experience in a program and if getting an MFA will be worth it for them. Studying poetry and literature can be a lot of fun. For me, I found it to be a valuable and enriching experience.
When you feel uninspired, which poet might you read for guidance and motivation?
I love Mary Oliver. I love Li-Young Lee. I’m fond of reading The Sun and coming across poems like “The World’s Oldest Person” by Elizabeth Onusko. The Sun also has a section called “Readers Write” that publishes readers’ writing. It’s one of my favorite sections. I feel a sense of connection to other people and our world. I cherish works of art like Gone with the Wind. And poetry in publications like diode, Eleven Eleven, Foundry, and Tinderbox Poetry Journal, to name a few. Poets and writers who seem to be channeling an almost otherworldly energy into their writing amaze and guide me. I was talking to a friend about it, and she brought up some questions that resonated with me — Where does that energy and wisdom come from? How can they know what they do?