A Song of Lilith

by Joy Kogawa, Lilian Broca (Illustrator)

Joy Kogawa, internationally celebrated author of Obasan and The Rain Ascends, offers a feminist version of the biblical story of Lilith, the "first Eve." Illustrated by Lilian Broca, A Song of Lilith combines poetry and artwork in a powerful ode to truth, transformation, and homecoming.

Genres: Poetry, Mythology

110 pages, Paperback

First published May 8, 2001

About the author

Joy Kogawa was born in Vancouver in 1935 to Japanese-Canadian parents. During WWII, Joy and her family were forced to move to Slocan, British Columbia, an injustice Kogawa addresses in her 1981 novel, Obasan. Kogawa has worked to educate Canadians about the history of Japanese Canadians and she was active in the fight for official governmental redress.

Kogawa studied at the University of Alberta and the University of Saskatchewan. Her most recent poetic publication is A Garden of Anchors. The long poem, A Song of Lilith, published in 2000 with art by Lilian Broca, retells the story of Lilith, the mythical first partner to Adam.

In 1986, Kogawa was made a Member of the Order of Canada; in 2006, she was made a Member of the Order of British Columbia. In 2010, the Japanese government honored Kogawa with the Order of the Rising Sun "for her contribution to the understanding and preservation of Japanese Canadian history.

Reviews

[kate]

a small volume with artwork by Lilian Broca throughout in tones of orange and sepia with splashes of colour.

"lilith lithe and lilting ululation....lilith earth's first and elemental woman"

and so it goes, adam gets all "I'm the man" about it, lilith has a hissy and takes off. angels can't make her come back, god says 'okay, go be free then'. god creates eve, eve is a good girl, a dutiful rib extension. eve's daughters grow up imprisoned, lilith is outside this prison free.

you know, same old story.

[April]

I was privileged to see an exhibition of some of this art. Art that inspires thought and writing.

“What endures of Lilith's turbulent tale
Is this:
She has loved life
She has spent her life
She has danced to the ends of her wings And now what remains
In the gardens of the world
Is the breath of God
Weaving love songs
‘Lilith, my brave
My leaping one —
My dancing delight, My earth, my home.’"

[Yuka Kazahaya]

The rhythm and rhyme are so beautiful. The illustrations are impressive.

[Lyddie Barnesky]

Great addition to the lore of Lilith!