Anon

This collection of love poems, Anon, explores themes of desire, language, and the complexities of longing through rich cultural imagery and profound questions.

A collection of love poems addresses an adverb, exploring the intricate relationship between desire and language. In Anon, the author delves into the fleeting concept of 'at once', capturing the essence of longing and the beauty of expression. Each poem serves as a meditation on the complexities of love and the human experience, inviting readers to reflect on their own interpretations of desire.

The work features a rich tapestry of cultural references, from the playful verses of Slovenia's Tomaž Šalamun to the evocative imagery of Ito Jakuchu's Two Gibbons Reaching for the Moon. These elements come together to create a character for the displaced Beloved, illustrating the universal nature of love across borders and time. The book's central theme revolves around the act of translation, questioning how it can embody a yearning for the anonymous Other and how this longing for beauty can heal.

As the narrative unfolds, the Mekong delta emerges as a poignant backdrop, with endangered gibbons symbolizing the fragile state of existence amidst ecocide. Each image—rose, ape, and river—intertwines to form an undercurrent of postcolonial time, reflecting the complexities of Eros in exile. Anon ultimately invites readers to engage with the profound connections between language, desire, and the human condition.