Toxic Flora

“Kimiko Hahn stands as a welcome voice of experimentation and passion.”—Bloomsbury Review

For Kimiko Hahn, the language and imagery of science open up magical possibilities for the poet. Inspired by articles from the weekly “Science Times” section of the New York Times, Hahn explores identity, extinction, and survival. With these elegant, ardent poems, Hahn reaffirms her position as an artist of both “daring lyricism” (Eavan Boland) and “rigorous intelligence” (Mark Doty).

from “On Deceit as Survival”
   Yet another species resembles
   a female bumble bee,
   ending in frustrated trysts—
   or appears to be two fractious males
   which also attracts—no surprise—
   a third curious enough to join the fray.
   What to make of highly evolved Beauty
   bent on deception as survival—