Bad Names for Women. The title brings to mind the derogatory terms we hear all the time: bitch, slut, whore, etc. However, Hilary Tham's poetry goes far deeper -- to the roots of cultural stereotypes about women. Tham is Malaysian and Chinese, her husband, Jewish; this background provides much of the inspiration for her poems.
Bad Names for Women is divided into three sections. The first, "Chinese Mother", draws upon Tham's heritage. Many of the poems revolve around the central figure of Mrs. Wei, through whom we get to see cultures clashing, as in "Mrs. Wei is Unhappy With the Sexual Revolution":
From the beginning, women have made men
pay for sex -- a leg of wild boar, gold
chains, marriage. Now, their daughters give
it away, call it freedom!
The second section, "Jewish Mother", looks at the heritage of Jewish women (with the obligatory mention of Lilith) and the difficulties of such a male-oriented religion, as in "Dancing the HaKafot":
This year, our synagogue allowed women
to dance the HaKafot. Hair streaming from headscarves,
we panted out songs and twirled with the men . . .
In a corner, the retired rabbi reproves
his wife with harsh words. Infected
with the momentum of the young, she has broken
a lifelong taboo. She has carried the Torah
with bare, female hands . . .
The third section, "Woman, by Any Name", is more feminist in sensibility and is wildly provacative. With titles like "A Liberated Woman", "The First Time is Always a Disappointment", and "Odalisques Were Invented by Men", it's hard to pick only one as an example. You will just have to go pick up a copy of the book and see for yourself.
Editor's Note: Hilary Tham passed away in June 2005. She will be greatly missed in the literary world and in the hearts of her friends.
