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Theme’s in Cathy Song's Poetry
Cathy Song’s poetry is often directly related to Song’s experiences of being a daughter, sister, and becoming a mother and wife. Song’s poems explore her journey of womanhood with a specific emphasis on her relationship with the human body. Song has elaborated on the exploration and meaning of her body throughout her poetry in many literary devices such as repetition, symbolism, and metaphors. These underlying themes of womanhood are especially present in Cathy Song’s Picture Bride.

Cultural convergence is a prominent theme seen throughout Cathy Song’s poetry as well. Cathy Song, an Asian-American poet, writes poetry that reflects both on the heritage of the east and west. Song dives deep into her journey as a modern day woman with Chinese and Korean background, navigating through America, and her experiences along the way. “Family portraits, history and psychology” have a strong influence on Song’s writings. Often in Song’s poetry she focuses on the traditional gender roles of Asian women from the past. She channel’s these women and speaks for them in the modern day. In Song’s “The Seamstress” this theme is evident.

The theme of individuality and discovering one’s self is present in specific works of Song. In Song’s “The White Trumpet Flower” this is shown through a metaphor of a woman as a flower. A daughter who has been “created so by the genetic and familial legacy” attempts to establish her own independence “to make herself a different species than her mother”. This metaphor paints a profuse image that portrays the struggles of a young girl who connects with her mother, but at the same time has a will for individuality and a sense of self. It is assumed that Song, herself, is the voice of this poem.

Through literary influences, Asian American heritage, and her mix of modern day realities, Cathy Song has been seen as a catalyst for convergence of east and west cultures through her poetry. Song’s poems are personal, yet influential with themes that connect women, as well as Asian Americans throughout the world on a deeper level.