Leaving Chang’e on Read is author Jane Shi’s debut chapbook, presenting poems that cover complimentary yet diverse themes. Her pieces tap into troubled family histories, diasporic reflection, identity and self-discovery, and relationships of support. I enjoyed her work because of how it demands a degree of imaginative engagement to digest — not to say that meaning is ‘hidden’ or confusing, rather, poetic language is delivered with an upfront directness that has me stringing together stories behind each line. For example, ‘Rewriting the Last Act of Mountains May Depart’ is a poem that talks about shifting family relations, separations (both literally and emotionally,) and stunted outlets of expression. In this Shi writes, “Dad loves his guns but has no enemies / to shoot at the absence / of an enemy makes his castle wayward.” With such simple yet effective language, I can’t merely flow into reading the next line. Shi presents me with a snappy poetic interpretation, and turns over to me the responsibility of suspecting context and implications. Unlike some poetic voices that can be crafted to flow so smoothly and sweetly as a whole package, I appreciate how Shi’s blunt delivery forces me to read disjointedly. I make only semi-linear progression through her poems, as I reverse and re-read and reinterpret the fullness of meaning behind her words.
‘Typical’ flow is not challenged by language alone. Poem formatting plays with page space, creating shapes and breaks, often leaving me searching for connecting words with uncertainty. Along with intentionally awkward line separations, such unpredictability in flow leads me to piece together connections between distinct ideas, searching for connective-tissue. Shi does not shy away from alternative, creative formats. The opening poem, ‘myFunction,’ presents a sprawling HTML coding script across the page. ‘IN RELATION TO YOUR POETRY’ is a compilation of twitter poll responses to the repeated question “in relation to your poetry are you” (with poll answers including “a life hack (5.1%) / grey socks in sandals (21.8%) / suppressed grief (55.1%) / SUV headlights (17.9%),” or as another example, “sartorial (12.2%) / archeological (35.6%) / a panicked academic (13.3%) / afraid (38.9%)”). The physical arrangement of Shi’s words on paper keeps me curious throughout the book.
A favourite poem of mine was “back in a nanosec,” which speaks of a former close friend and the desire to share the highs and lows of life with another. Posed as though she is writing a letter to the friend in question, Shi asks if they still want to be “for-a-long-time pals” later writing,
“but if you don’t want to, / that’s okay. I don’t mind. I won’t try / to find someone to replace you. Maybe / the reason you don’t need me anymore is / because we never needed each other / in the first place. We just needed / to trick ourselves.”
In a jarring confession, the poem speaks to the hunger for connection, friendship, and love. The letter navigates the emotions of fading friendship longevity with kind bluntness. She later writes, “In the future, I still miss you / though at a slightly different angle. I want to / look beside me & know that you’re / close when we fall.”
Overall, I highly enjoyed Leaving Chang’e on Read and recommend taking it in slowly and deliberately. Not only will you get to appreciate the snappy insight of Shi’s wry words, but through the poems’ interactivity, I suspect you’ll also get the chance to learn about yourself, too.