paperaerik's review
I borrowed the book from Libby. And reading poetry takes time and not something you can rush. Plus, I had other books waiting in my queue. However, it was great of the Libby App to have shown this book and poet to me that I wouldn't otherwise have known about.
jiscoo's review against another edition
3.5
really loved the sections led by the essays “I live to reject lofty words” and “bright full moon, towering tree shadows”
vanquishingvolumes's review
3.0
An interesting collection of essays and poetry. I was very glad I was granted the opportunity to read this collection. Although each piece did not speak to me, I found that many of the pieces helps me to better understand the life of somebody living with a disability especially in another culture. Thank you to net galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this collection.
pagesofnectar's review
3.0
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a review e-arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
But what poetry is, I don't know, nor can I speak of it. It is simply an emotion that leaps or drowns. It comes in the guise of a patriotic pose when the soul summons it. It is just a cane for one who staggers in a swaying mortal world
Reading Yu Xiuhua's poems and essays in this collection (by the way, what a beautiful title for a collection: "moonlight rests on my left palm", aw, such a nice image) was a very enjoyable experience! You learn a few things about the author's life, her way of thinking and what she considers important through the intriguing essays and she seemed like a genuine, true person! The poetry has very strong feelings of longing, passion and a beautiful love of nature which is definitely very powerfully expressed through images and metaphors of nature throughout the lyrics!
The themes, however, since poetical themes are such a personal and unique experience for each reader, weren't exactly my cup of tea, even though I found them very beautiful!
But what poetry is, I don't know, nor can I speak of it. It is simply an emotion that leaps or drowns. It comes in the guise of a patriotic pose when the soul summons it. It is just a cane for one who staggers in a swaying mortal world
Reading Yu Xiuhua's poems and essays in this collection (by the way, what a beautiful title for a collection: "moonlight rests on my left palm", aw, such a nice image) was a very enjoyable experience! You learn a few things about the author's life, her way of thinking and what she considers important through the intriguing essays and she seemed like a genuine, true person! The poetry has very strong feelings of longing, passion and a beautiful love of nature which is definitely very powerfully expressed through images and metaphors of nature throughout the lyrics!
The themes, however, since poetical themes are such a personal and unique experience for each reader, weren't exactly my cup of tea, even though I found them very beautiful!
concernedpisces's review
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
I found that the essays impacted me more than the poetry.
g_treads's review
4.0
has lots of good quotes but I liked the essays better than most of the poems, I just read them and flipped the page but the essays cut a bit deeper