Rules of the House

by Tsering Dhompa

Having grown up in the Tibetian communities of India and Nepal, Tsering Wangmo Dhompa's perspective is uncommon; as a poet, her talent is unmistakable. "Dhompa's potent suite of poems elucidates and vocalizes the humanness and adversities of the Tibetan diaspora. The praxes of exile and passage— literal and as in 'rites of...'— are enacted here, soothing complex dynamics of family and 'house.' The moveable hearth is a map of rare ritual and unique, curious attentions. You enter the immigrant girl-child's bifurcated world, coming and going, language to language, culture to culture, from childhood to sexuality, taking Dhompa's ride in her elegantly adopted American-English poet's 'tongue.'"— Anne Waldman.

Genres: Poetry

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been fascinated by poetry of exile and emigration lately, and this is an interesting approach to the subject, giving what felt to me like a child's eye view of an exiled community, tied up with memories and tasks of daily life and the immediate family.