Symbiosis - An Evening of Asian and Asian American Poetry

The Poetry Society of America presents Symbiosis, an evening of readings combined with a dynamic panel discussion on the exchange of influence between early modern Asian poets, modern American poets, and contemporary Asian American poets. A part of the "Locating the Sacred Festival."

The Poetry Society of America—the nation’s oldest poetry organization—presents Symbiosis, an evening of readings combined with a dynamic panel discussion on the exchange of influence between early modern Asian poets, modern American poets, and contemporary Asian American poets. Featuring readings by poets Monica Ferrell, Kimiko Hahn, Timothy Liu, and Angela Veronica Wong, this event highlights the historic, transnational dialogue across generations between two continents, and considers the importance of this exchange in today’s literary landscape. The poets will further discuss the sacred in Asian American culture as articulated in American poetry.

This event takes place at the Museum of Chinese in America on Centre Street, a converted industrial machine repair shop designed by celebrated architect Maya Lin.

Presented by the Poetry Society of America in association with the Museum of Chinese in America.

Two years in the making, the Locating the Sacred Festival, a project of the Asian American Arts Alliance, has brought together hundreds of artists, arts workers and cultural activists to create twenty-five events in churches, museums, cultural centers, botanical gardens and theaters across all five boroughs of New York City, exploring the meaning of the word “sacred” and its relevance in their communities.

From an inflatable Buddha on the East River to a flash mob in Washington Square Park, the festival showcases Asian American artists as agents of change, demonstrating the power of art to unleash imagination and break down barriers. Festival Producing Partners include New York University, the Rubin Museum of Art, Queens Botanical Gardens, Poetry Society of America, Church Center for the United Nations and several others. In the wake of the shootings at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin and as the eleventh anniversary of 9/11 approaches, New Yorkers are reminded that opportunities for greater cultural understanding are never more important. The Asian American community is the fastest growing cultural group in New York, now 13% of the population (one million people), with heritages spanning the Middle East to the Pacific Islands. The festival aims to provide a platform for all New Yorkers to engage deeply with each other on questions of fundamental values and to be inspired to imagine moving towards together as a society.