Prairie Schooner Interviews Marilyn Chin

Prairie Schooner just posted an interview with Marilyn Chin by their editor, Marianne Kunkel. Here, Chin explains the frequent use of food in her poetry:

Historically, food has been a useful Chinese American trope. I never tire of using it to color my work. A dish could be tasty or foul, bitter or sweet, it could be spicy and inedible! Sometimes, food is the only vehicle for communication in a family. In the morning the first thing a Chinese mother might ask you is "Have you eaten?"--beginning with a compassionate gesture. Then, she might place some fish congee in front of you and might criticize you for the way you are eating it…and then obsess on how much you are eating or not eating, then many stories and lessons would unfold: it’s all delicious and noxious fun!

Go here learn more about Chin and her latest series of poems.