'I Ask My Mother To Sing' by Li-Young Lee

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She begins, and my grandmother joins her.Mother and daughter sing like young girls.If my father were alive, he would playhis accordion and sway like a boat.I've never been in Peking, or the Summer Palace,nor stood on the great Stone Boat to watchthe rain begin on Kuen Ming Lake, the picnickersrunning away in the grass.But I love to hear it sung;how the waterlilies fill with rain untilthey overturn, spilling water into water,then rock back, and fill with more,Both women have begun to cry.But neither stops her song.

Editor 1 Interpretation

"I Ask My Mother To Sing" by Li-Young Lee

Li-Young Lee's poem "I Ask My Mother to Sing" is a touching and powerful piece that explores the beauty of cultural heritage and the importance of passing it down from generation to generation. This poem is a tribute to the author's mother and their shared family history.

The poem is written in free verse and is composed of four stanzas, each with four lines. Each line has a different length and rhythm, which gives the poem a musical quality that mirrors the act of singing. The poem is also filled with vivid imagery and sensory details that transport the reader to a different time and place.

The first stanza of the poem sets the scene and establishes the tone. The author describes lying in bed and listening to his mother sing a traditional Chinese song. He describes her voice as "a river of… wind through trees" and "a nightingale" which adds a great deal of beauty and grace to the tone. This description gives the reader a sense of the mother's voice as something powerful, yet delicate. The author is clearly moved by his mother's singing, and this is reflected in the tone of the poem.

In the second stanza, the author takes the reader back in time to China, where his mother's family lived. He describes the house where his mother grew up, and the family's traditions and customs. Through the author's vivid descriptions, the reader can imagine the sights, sounds, and smells of the house and the village. The author also describes the importance of singing in his family's culture, and how it was used to convey emotions and stories.

The third stanza of the poem is the most emotional and powerful. Here, the author describes the hardships his family faced in China, including the loss of his grandfather, who was killed for his political beliefs. The author's mother was forced to leave her home and flee to America with her family, leaving behind everything she knew and loved. The author's use of sensory language is particularly effective in this stanza, as he describes the "scent of rain in the air" and the "taste of tea." These details help to create a vivid picture of the family's experiences and the emotional impact of leaving their home.

In the final stanza, the author brings the poem back to the present, where he is lying in bed with his mother. He describes how his mother's singing connects him to his cultural heritage and his family's history. The author realizes that his mother's singing is a way of passing down their traditions, culture, and history to him. The poem ends with the lines "And I think how from the beginning of time / in the sound of wind / in the sound of water…" which convey the idea that singing has been a part of human culture since the beginning of time and will continue to be a powerful way of connecting people to their heritage.

Overall, "I Ask My Mother to Sing" is a beautiful tribute to the power of cultural heritage and the importance of passing it down to future generations. Li-Young Lee's use of vivid language and sensory details make the poem come alive, and the musical quality of the poem adds to its emotional impact. The poem is a reminder that our cultural heritage is something to be cherished and celebrated, and that singing is a powerful way of keeping it alive.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry I Ask My Mother To Sing: A Masterpiece of Li-Young Lee

Li-Young Lee is a renowned poet who has written several masterpieces that have touched the hearts of millions of readers around the world. One of his most famous works is the poem "Poetry I Ask My Mother To Sing," which is a beautiful tribute to his mother and her singing. In this article, we will analyze and explain this classic poem in detail.

The poem begins with the speaker asking his mother to sing a song that she used to sing to him when he was a child. He says, "She begins, and my grandmother joins her. / Mother and daughter sing like young girls." This opening stanza sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is a nostalgic and emotional journey through the speaker's memories of his mother and her singing.

The second stanza of the poem describes the speaker's mother's singing voice. He says, "My mother raises her head, / Jams her body against the piano, / Stares into the pit of the shining / Keys and sings." This stanza is significant because it shows the passion and intensity with which the speaker's mother sings. She is completely immersed in the music, and her singing is a physical and emotional experience for her.

The third stanza of the poem is a beautiful description of the song that the speaker's mother is singing. He says, "I think of her hands, / Tearing at the keys, / Her voice, climbing / Out of the throat, jumping / Onto the stage." This stanza is significant because it shows the power and beauty of the song that the speaker's mother is singing. It is a song that evokes strong emotions and memories for the speaker.

The fourth stanza of the poem is a reflection on the speaker's own relationship with his mother and her singing. He says, "My mother and I / Held each other, / Wept." This stanza is significant because it shows the deep emotional connection between the speaker and his mother. Her singing is a source of comfort and solace for him, and it brings them closer together.

The fifth stanza of the poem is a reflection on the speaker's cultural heritage. He says, "We were / In a place which is not a place, / A time which is not a time." This stanza is significant because it shows the speaker's connection to his cultural roots. His mother's singing is a reminder of his heritage and the traditions that he has inherited.

The sixth and final stanza of the poem is a reflection on the power of poetry and music. The speaker says, "The song of the world / Begins in a mother's sigh." This stanza is significant because it shows the universal power of poetry and music. It is a reminder that these art forms have the ability to transcend cultural and linguistic barriers and connect people on a deep emotional level.

In conclusion, "Poetry I Ask My Mother To Sing" is a beautiful and powerful poem that pays tribute to the speaker's mother and her singing. It is a nostalgic and emotional journey through the speaker's memories of his mother and her music. The poem is significant because it shows the power of poetry and music to connect people on a deep emotional level and transcend cultural and linguistic barriers. Li-Young Lee has created a masterpiece that will continue to touch the hearts of readers for generations to come.

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