By Shikha Lamba
The first poetry collection I read by renowned poet Jennifer Wong was Goldfish in 2023. Soon after that, I picked up Letters Home. Many of Jennifer’s poems speak of her Chinese culture and birthplace, Hong Kong, which has been home to me for over eighteen years. Her poetry is described as “distinctive” and intelligent”, “delicate” yet “sharp” with its precise imagery, establishing her as “Hong Kong’s finest English language poet of the younger generation.”
The two-hour session with Jennifer Wong on January 11th, organised by WIPS, was a treat. Sitting, conversing, and working on poems with a poet of her calibre is a rare opportunity for us writers here. The session was fun, insightful, and interactive, with Jennifer giving time not just to poems she had selected for advanced reading but also to written work by the participants during the session. Poetry requires a certain atmosphere; poets especially require space and the freedom to be vulnerable. Jennifer led the sessions with delicacy and regard for all who were there. The two hours flew by far too quickly, leaving at least me craving for more of her time. Jennifer had also asked participants to submit their poems before the event, and I’m so happy I did that because she not only spent time on them during the session but also offered her edits afterwards. I would have never had that opportunity had it not been for this wonderful event organised by WIPS.