Ocean-Wide Silence Tanka Poem by Chen-ou Liu

The 8th tanka in the sequence, Politics/Poetics of Re-Homing

My English words
Nothing's wrong, I'm fine
Slip into
Our phone conversation...
Mother's ocean-wide silence


Note: Based on the principles of progression and association employed in Japanese court poetry (for more information, see 'To the Lighthouse: Principles of Progression and Association in Tanka Sequences, ' http: //goo.gl/4a1nb) , Politics/Poetics of Re-Homing is first English language tanka sequence about diasporic experiences. In the sequence, I adopt an intersectional approach to exploring a wide range of issues related to immigration, English learning, racialized identity, racism, job seeking, colonization, acculturation,...etc. You can read the whole sequence, http: //goo.gl/m9R9V