Chinese-Canadian
First Language(s): Chinese
Second Language(s):
English
Yuan Changming edits Poetry Pacific with Allen Yuan at poetrypacific.blogspot.ca in Vancouver. Credits include eleven Pushcart nominations, ten chapbooks, nine poetry awards as well as appearances in Best of the Best Canadian Poetry (2008-17) & BestNewPoemsOnline, among 1839 other literary outlets, across 46 countries. Recently, Yuan served on the jury for Canada's 44th National Magazine Awards (English poetry category).
What was your favorite book as a child?
Growing up in an isolated and impoverished village, I had virtually no access to any other books or reading materials than textbooks during my entire boyhood. In other words, there was simply nothing for me to read outside the classroom, not to mention any 'favorite book.'
Do you remember the original reason or motivation why you started writing creatively?
I started to scribble poetry in English during a family trip to Banff in 2004 while climbing a mountain alone and feeling an overwhelmingly strong urge to articulate my reflections on my life as a new immigrant to Canada. For me, poetry served as a sanctuary in the first place.
What was the most adventurous or thrilling thing you ever did/experienced?
Saying farewell to all my pasts and leaving Tianjin, China to start a new life from scratch (first as an international student) in Saskatoon, Canada in early September 1989.
Do you listen to music while reading or writing?
Seldom. I need to concentrate really well when I draft poetry, but I often do so while reading.
Poetry
Semantics of Selfhood: A Bilinguacultural Poem
Issue Fall '21
Supported by:
