Eileen Chong

Eileen Chong

Beathaisnéis
Breith	1980 43/44 bliana d'aois Singeapór
Gníomhaíocht
Gairm	file, scríbhneoir

File Astrálach is ea Eileen Chong.

Rugadh í in 1980 i Singeapór. Rugadh triúr dá seanaithreacha sa tSín, agus d’fhás sí aníos ag labhairt Mandairínise, Hokkien agus Béarla. Oileadh í mar mhúinteoir ardscoile i Singeapór agus bhí sí ag múineadh ann le trí bliana. D’aistrigh sí go Sydney in 2007. Thosaigh sí ag scríobh filíochta san Astráil, rud a spreagadh nuair a d’fhreastail sí ar rang filíochta an fhile Judith Beveridge agus í ag déanamh M. Litt. ag Ollscoil Sydney. Tá roinnt duaiseanna agus cónaitheachtaí faighte aici ó shin.

Tá sé ráite aici gurb éard is bun lena saothar agus a chothaíonn an saothar sin é a bheith de gheasa uirthi ligean don saol dul i bhfeidhm ar a croí i ngeall ar a stair chultúrtha, na rudaí a bhfuil dúspéis aici iontu, na rudaí a chorraíonn í. Ní mór a cuimhneamh nach tuairisciú í an fhilíocht ach ceird agus ealaín.

Sliocht

I sat in the café while your friend railed at me —if you knew you were going to leave why did you try, and keep trying—he meant for children, of course, though we did not have them in the end. Which comes first, blame or consequence? I sat there, crying, while waitresses tiptoed around me. One slipped me a napkin. I’d like to go back. I’d like to have stood up, thrown water in his face, smashed the plates onto the ground... (Sliocht as “Woman, crying”)

Bhí mé i mo shuí sa chaifé agus do chara do mo liobairt —má bhí a fhios agat go n-imeofá, cén fáth a ndearna tú iarracht arís is arís—iarracht ar ghiniúint ab áil leis a rá ar ndóigh cé nach raibh siad againn i ndeireadh na dála. Cé acu is túisce a thagann, milléan nó toradh? Mé i mo shuí ann ag gol agus freastalaithe ag sleamhnú i mo thimpeall. Lig duine acu naipcín liom go fáilí. Ba mhaith liom filleadh anois. Ba mhaith liom éirí, uisce a chaitheamh isteach san aghaidh air, na miasa a bhriseadh ar an talamh...

Rogha leabhar

• Burning Rice. Chong, Eileen. 2012. Australian Poetry New Voices Series 2012, Melbourne. Athchló 2013. Pitt Street Poetry, Sydney.
• Peony. Chong, Eileen. 2014. Pitt Street Poetry, Sydney.
• Painting Red Orchids. Chong, Eileen. 2016. Pitt Street Poetry, Sydney.
• The Uncommon Feast (aistí, dánta, oidis). Chong, Eileen. 2018. Maisithe ag Colin Cassidy. Recent Work Press, Canberra.
• Rainforest. Chong, Eileen. 2018. Pitt Street Poetry, Sydney.
• Map-Making. Dánta le Eileen Chong, grianghrafanna le Charlene Winfred. 2018. Potts Point Press, Sydney.

Naisc sheachtracha

• Suíomh Eileen Chong
• Leathanach Eileen Chong ag Pitt Street Poetry: http://pittstreetpoetry.com/eileen-chong
• “Five Translated Eileen Chong Poems”, Isabelle Li agus Eileen Chong, 1 Feabhra 2018: Cordite Poetry Review: http://cordite.org.au/translations/li-chong/
• Léirmheas le Boey Kim Cheng ar Peony in Cordite: http://cordite.org.au/reviews/boey-chong/
• Léirmheas le Geoff Page ar Painting Red Orchids in Mascara Literary Review: http://mascarareview.com/geoff-page-reviews-painting-red-orchids-by-eileen-chong/
• Léirmheas le Dan Disney ar Painting Red Orchids in World Literature Today: http://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/2017/january/painting-red-orchids-eileen-chong
• Léirmheas le Boey Kim Cheng ar Painting Red Orchids agus Rainforest sa Sydney Review of Books: https://sydneyreviewofbooks.com/chong-painting-red-orchids-rainforest/