Something Whispered in the Shakuhachi (Magill’s Survey of American Literature, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Garrett Kaoru Hongo
- First Published: 1982
- Type of Work: Poem
- Genres: Poetry
- Subjects: Memory, World War II, Japanese Americans, Flutes or flute players
“Something Whispered in the Shakuhachi” is an intimate poem, extremely evocative and lyrical. In its focus on one elderly and enfeebled man, Hongo is able to show a strength of spirit that can transcend the most challenging and demeaning of conditions. To understand more about how the notion of the old man functions as a seminal concept for Hongo, it is a good idea to read another of his poems, “Roots.” In that poem, Hongo talks about an old man hanging over his sleep whose “signature . . ./ scratches across my unconscious life,” a metaphor for his own Japanese origins,...
[The entire page is 653 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
See Also
