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Mei Yuk Wong |
Profile
Mei Yuk Wong was born in Hong Kong. She studied theology and then worked as an editor for a Christian organisation for several years. Then, she studied for an MA in Women and Development in The Hague, where she met officials and activists from different countries. After 1997, she felt that her work in Hong Kong had come to an end. She decided on a change of direction by pursuing her creative work. So she came to England and studied at Wimbledon School of Art and London Guildhall University. While making artwork, she started to write poems and was published by Poetry Now. In 2002, she published her first book, Walking in the Clouds, based on her exhibition of photography and embroidered poems. More recently in 2004, she had led a poetry reading event for the Manchester Poetry Festival. She also writes joint poems with other poets.
Hope is on the Way if you Stay
Leaving 6.5 million people behind the sunrise
Opening a new page in an early morning Heathrow
Never met such a kind English lady
Giving me a lift at 70-amazingly-dangerous
Knowing nobody and nowhere
Oh, so quiet and deadly peaceful
Nothing should be said and didn’t know what to say
Gone to bed with mosquitoes whispering instead
Looking at all the masterpieces
On contemporary, modern or classic
No doubt, they work
Dialogue with him, with her, with them all
Moving from Van Gogh’s Shoes to my own Buttons
Oh, how satisfactory
Nothing could compare
Rainbow in the sky—surely a good sign
A nice man(chester)
Perhaps
Cold and wet
Dull and boring
Isolated and lonely
Being bullied and not knowing how to react
Bus is never reliable
Even worse, filled with smoke
No choice, but a passive smoker
Confront them, not so safe
Look at the ghosts
Poor dead in Morecombe Bay
Don’t come and stay away
You may not be welcomed
Remember one big Commonwealth Games 2002
Be proud of Manchester
As a volunteer among the thousands
Mancunians made it happen
Hope is on the way if you stay
In faith, in art and in poetry
For friends and families
Reflection
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I moved to Manchester in 2000 when I got a job at a Chinese community centre. Before that I had never visited the city. It was a brave decision to come to a strange area without any friends or family. During the first few weeks at work I felt overwhelmed by the complexity of the city and its communities. When I was a student in London, I just enjoyed making art and writing poems. Of course I did worry about my saving but I was simply happier. Working in Manchester seemed like going to war everyday. People were crazy and demanding. I never really wanted to be a social worker. There was endless casework waiting for me to handle. I did not understand why there was so much domestic violence in the city? Can’t men respect their wives and love them more tenderly?
Gradually, I made some friends and tried to keep making art and write poems. My job made me realise about the lives of ordinary people, especially those immigrants from Hong Kong or different parts of China. The struggle of their daily lives affected my art and poetry, making it more down to earth. I think they enriched my work.
I enjoyed watching movies very much and I went to the cinema every weekend. I also saw various musicals, plays and concerts. In fact, I now find that Manchester is just a like a mini London, as I can enjoy different cultural aspects.
In summer 2002, Manchester held the Commonwealth Games. I was one of the volunteers. That was the first time I felt proud of Manchester. I could see how many Mancunians were devoted to the city. There came the hope. I stayed and it’s been well worth it!
In 2007, Monkey King had it’s premier at the Palace Theatre. I was so pleased to see the production and was involved in organising some educational workshops for the play with schools and community groups. It was not just a traditional Chinese legend. In fact, the new production was a fusion of eastern and western ideas. I love it!
Much of my work has a strong humanitarian basis. What I have learnt about theology, feminism and art, at various universities, has influenced my poetry. I cannot let myself settle down in a comfort zone and forget the rest of the world. The people that I have encountered have also enriched my life and work. There is so much that I want to create through art and poetry.
‘Hope is on the Way if you Stay’, is a new poem. Basically, I look at my journey from Hong Kong to London, and then from London to Manchester. These nine years seemed to be a period of intensive training in my work and study. I have tried making artwork and writing poetry in spite of demanding jobs. There is so much to write and I cannot put it all down in 40 lines! It is just like a summary of my experiences, feelings and emotions.
Publications
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I Think Therefore I Am, Reflection, Hong Kong Christian Institute, 2006, Issue 100
Wing Tung, Mixed Emotions, Poetry Now, 2005
Lin Heung, Materials of the Mind, Poetry Now, 2005
Wing Cheung, Reflections in Rhyme, Anchor Books, 2005
In God’s Image, Translation Series 3: Women’s Rite, Hong Kong Women’s Christian Council, 2004(co-translated)
Lai Yung, Mum’s the World, Anchor Books, 2004
May you Rest in Peace, Faithful Expressions, Triumph House, 2004
11th September 2001, Shaft of Light, Poetry Now, 2003
Black & White, Poppies in the Breeze, Poetry Now, 2003
Rainnnnnnbow, Upon This Earth, Poetry Now, 2003
The Water of Desire, Pushing the Boundaries, Strong Words, 2003
My Sister is Getting Married, Blessed are the Moments, Poetry Now, 2003
Walking in the Clouds, Serendipity, 2002
Mei Kuen, Those Days We Miss, Poetry Now, 2002
Mei Tak, Just for You, Poetry Now, 2002
When Will We Meet Again, Someone Special, Poetry Now 2002
My Son, My Love, Where are You? Inspirations 2002, Anchor Books, 2002
Mr. Handkerchief Poetic Thoughts, Poetry Now 2002
How Can I Fall in Love With a Dead Young Man? Forces of Destiny, Poetry Now, 2001
A Walk in the Cloud, A Voyage into Fantasy, Anchor Book, 2001
For Give, For Get, For Grace, To Taste, To Touch, To Feel, Poetry Now, 2001
My Fair Lady Butterfly, Footsteps Through Life, Anchor Books, 2001
Lui Lui My Dear, Captured Emotions, Poetry Now, 2001
A Poem Dedicated to Mrs. Eleanor Ashton, A Compliment to You, Poetry Now, 2001
Rape by Masculinity, Pure Emotion, Anchor Books, 2000
Too Young to Die at Seventeen, Expressions for a New Century from London & Home Counties, Anchor Books, 200
Contact & Links
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Email: meiyukwong@hotmail.com
Website: www.meiyukwong.com