Melete

Jennifer Lee Tsai’s first full-length book of poetry explores family history, intergenerational trauma, love, loss and belonging through the perspective of a second-generation British Chinese identity, interweaving narratives of memory, migration and mysticism across Liverpool, China and Hong Kong, dual cultures and heritages. Jennifer Lee Tsai’s first full-length poetry book is a compelling narrative exploring family history, intergenerational trauma, love, loss, migration and belonging from the perspective of a second-generation British Chinese identity. Melete interweaves dual cultures and heritages, moving from China and Hong Kong to Liverpool. The mythic structure of the book relates to the three original Boeotian Muses – Melete, Mneme and Aoede. Named after the Muse of meditation and contemplation, Melete navigates the boundaries between life and art, personhood and subjectivity, states and places of spiritual transcendence. This expansive book establishes a powerfully distinctive lyric voice in British poetry.