Dance dance revolution : poems / Cathy Park Hong.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hong, Cathy Park.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Korean Americans--Poetry.

Korean Americans.

Genre:

Poetry.

Physical Description:

120 pages ; 22 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : W.W. Norton, [2007]

Summary:

"The mixture of imagination, language, and historical consciousness in this book is marvelous."--Adrienne Rich, Barnard Women Poets Prize citation "The Guide" is a former South Korean dissident and tour guide who speaks a fluid fabricated language; "the Historian" interviews the Guide and annotates the commentaries. Cathy Park Hong's passionate and artful poem sequence weaves an ultimately revitalizing dialogue on shared experience in a globalized world, using language as subversion and disguise.

Contents:

Chronology of the Desert Guide 17

I Strolling Through the Hotel

Roles 25

St. Petersburg Hotel Series 27

1 Services 27

2 Preparation for Winter in the St. Petersburg Arboretum 29

3 The Fountain Outside the Arboretum 30

4 The Washrooms of St. Petersburg 31

5 Atop the St. Petersburg Dome 33

Karaoke Lounge 35

Excerpt from the Historian's Memoir 37

II Stirrings of Childhood That Begin with

Song that Breaks the World Record 41

The Lineage of Yes-Men 43

The Importance of Being English 45

Excerpt from the Historian's Memoir 47

III Education During the Year of Falling Hair

Early Influence 51

Cholla Village of No 53

Windowless House 56

Excerpt from the Historian's Memoir 58

IV Visions of Pamphlet Gods

Seizure 61

Tide Pool 63

Reunion 64

University Years 66

Excerpt from the Historian's Memoir 68

V Intermission: Portrait of the Desert

Elegy 71

Almanac 72

Almanac 74

Almanac 76

Almanac 78

New Town 80

Excerpt from the Historian's Memoir 83

VI Resuming the Desert Tour: Toward the Outskirts, Toward the Bridge

Basement of the St. Petersburg Hotel 87

Music of the Streets Series 88

1 Hagglers in the Bazaar 88

2 The Hula Hooper's Taunt 89

3 The Auctioneer's Woo 90

4 Dance Hall Song for When You're in the Mood 91

5 Toasts in the Grove of Proposals 92

O Light, Red Light 93

Once the Factory, No Longer the Factory 95

The Guardsman's Warning 97

The Bridge 98

Excerpt from the Historian's Memoir 100

VII Kwangju

Elegy 103

The Voice 104

Kwangju Replayed 108

Years in the Ginseng Colony 111

VIII Dance Dance

Elegy 115

Orphic Day 117

The Refinery of Voices and Vices 118

Excerpt from the Historian's Memoir 120.

Notes:

"The Barnard women poets prize"--P. [2].

ISBN:

0393064840

9780393064841

OCLC:

79256845