“Chinese Blackbird”
Author: Sherry Quan Lee
I must admit I had to stop and think twice when asked if I would be willing to read and review “Chinese Blackbird” by Sherry Quan Lee. Truthfully poetry has never been able to hold my interest although I am always amazed by those who can recount verse by heart. Understanding that poetry isn’t really my “thing,” I thought the request over once more before finally accepting. I realized that even if I read “Chinese Blackbird” and didn’t enjoy the book because of its genre; I could still offer a valid review of Lee’s compilation. After all, I have no problem acknowledging talent even if it doesn’t always come in a format completely to my liking.
So, I accepted the review request and my copy of “Chinese Blackbird” arrived approximately a week later. The first thing I noticed about the book was its cover. I genuinely liked it. I found it to be tasteful; simple in an elegant manner. Next I cracked open the cover and read the preface which was written by David Mura. Wow! What a great opening statement. After reading those three pages I couldn’t wait to read “Chinese Blackbird.” My friends who write poetry would be stunned if they heard me say that…
As I began to read “Chinese Blackbird” I found myself in unfamiliar territory. Poetry is not my strong suit; I was unsure what exactly to expect therefore I simply allowed Quan Lee’s voice/words/emotions to guide me as I read. I found Quan Lee to have a very distinctive and in-depth writing style. In all honesty, I didn’t always “get” every single entry, probably because she and I have our own unique pasts, yet somehow her words seemed to communicate her emotions. Other poems were crystal clear and I could feel the author’s personal conflict, pain or sorrow depending upon her words. Still others like “Dear M.F.A. Faculty” oozed sarcasm and made me wish I’d been around if/when the author had actually given that one to the faculty. Even the book’s title “Chinese Blackbird” seems to hold a subtle nuance…
In summary, “Chinese Blackbird” is definitely a five-star read. I think it is a book that one will read multiple times in an effort to better understand what the author was feeling when she wrote each entry. However, I feel that with each re-reading of “Chinese Blackbird” even more complexities will be realized and the reader’s questions may never be completely answered.