Unbroken Song

I wrote about ancestors, music and memory, and being inspired by Maxine Hong Kingston’s The Woman Warrior.

“Sitting in the audience, I interpreted “The Ghostmate” as a retelling of a folktale about a spirit wife or succubus seducing a young man. There are many versions of this motif in different cultures, so I was surprised when during the Q&A, Kingston explained that “The Ghostmate” was an allegory for the muse—the creative life—which enthralls and sustains the artist, but also demands sacrifice and can lead to neglecting one’s family. It was eye-opening to hear that even someone as acclaimed as Kingston struggled with balancing writing and family.”

• Read the full essay in KHÔRA. I was chosen to be one of the first four writers to contribute to KHÔRA, a publication affiliated with Corporeal Writing that was launched in 2020.