Poems by Ed H. Chi

My poetry is very heavily influenced by Chinese poetry. I like symmetry and rhythm. Rhyming can often be a challenge, but I don't necessarily feel constrained by it, and will occasionally break rhyme to make meanings fit. I think ideas are what's most important, and structure should be secondary to the idea. It's a bit utilitarian, I suppose.

Oh, and drop me a line or two if you do read these, because I am interested if they are read or not.

Rolling Mystery

Flipping bass notes fill my room.
Mystery rose hangs in bloom.
Unforgiving quake darkens into gloom.
How many must we entomb?

Thoughts clenched between my teeth.
Baby's breath awaits vulnerable sheath.
God's wrath has leveled cities into heath.
What has He brought for our wreath?

9-21-99, PARC Office (The day after Taiwan's 7.6 Earthquake)

2002

Chaotic Shivery Fingers ______________ (3/21/2002)
Traveled in Silence ____________________ (3/4/2002)
2001
Bedtime Prayer ______________________ (6/8/2001)
The Forks and Red Orange Sky _________ (1/31/2001)
2000
A Song in Some Corner of the World _____ (8/20/2000)
Freed Soul ________________ (4/26/1998, 6/24/2000)
Transitive Closure of Smiles and Tears ____ (6/22/2000)
No More __________________________ (6/16/2000)
Wandering through Familiarity ____________ (5/9/2000)
Fish in Water ________________________ (3/14/2000)
Closure ____________________________ (2/09/2000)
Improv Nineteen Ninety Nine ___________ (1/17/2000)
One..Two..Three..Contact.. ____________ (1/03/2000)
1999
mellow orange _____________________ (12/20/1999)
Jumping Single ______________________ (11/5/1999)
Rolling Mystery _____________________ (9/21/1999)
Stable Change ______________________ (8/3/1999)
My Father ________________________ (6/21/1999)
Rain of Miss _______________________ (6/17/1999)
A Tribute to Ma-Ma __________________ (5/6/1999)
To My Love _______________________ (1/28/1999)
Leaving Forward ____________________ (1/17/1999)
1998
Weekend Celebration _____________ (8/24/1998)
Experiences from Temptation _______ (7/28/1998)
Another Chance _________________ (7/14/1998)
Breeze Pushing Sail ______________ (4/29/1998)
Forgiven Wind __________________ (4/26/1998)
Real Nightmare _________________ (4/18/1998)
Desire Sonata for Two Pianos in C ___ (1/28/1998)
Wall of Fear ____________________ (1/20/1998)
Will ___________________________ (1/20/1998)
Love and Resurrection in a Life Boat __ (1/19/1998)

These poems are like little bits and pieces of my life. They tell a personal story---such that everytime I write one I think to myself that I couldn't possibilly share this with the rest of the world. But poetry is like art: it is meant to be read, shared, and used. Pottery that are made but not used or shown is not really art, but just lifeless objects collecting dust. Therefore, the more you read these poems, the more meaning they have. It encodes how much I have changed in the last few years. Each poem has a photograph that I've taken associated with it, documenting the emotion as I wade through these uncharted waters.

Ed H. Chi (chi [at] acm.org)

Poems by Ed H. Chi

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998