The Daily Glance
Jennifer Chang's The History of Anonymity is a personal exploration, one that deals quite a bit with the roles of a daughter, sister, mother, and father and how they relate. More than the beautiful language, these relationships jump out at me. I think that happens because so many poems mention a father, mother, or sister. Her piece "Genealogy" can be read in this light.
There will always be a root
too thirsty, moss that only swallows
and spreads. Primordial home, I am dying
from love of you. Were I a tuber or quillwort,
...................................................................
I would absorb everything.
I would drown.
Beyond the exploration of the past, Chang is good at pointing to the small details, especially when they involve elements of the natural world, i.e. flowers and such. Reading this book makes me want to read some non-fiction by Chang.
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