Bone Symphony: Poems

"Michelle Phuong Ho's Bone Symphony mines the wreckage of colonialism and imperialist warfare in Vietnam and attempts to reassemble the bones. Told in three movements spanning lyric, documentary, and hybrid forms, Bone Symphony uncovers a world turned upside-down by war: evil is good, saviors are toddlers, children die before their mothers, and civil servants-like the poet's grandfather-become enemies of the state. The detritus of a collapsed nation, family, and psyche serve as building blocks Ho rearranges with playful irreverence: One can surrender not just to imperial powers, but to love. A prison cell where a dissident is held can transform into the womb of God. Bone Symphony awakens us to a world where no symbol is stable"-- Provided by publisher.