Diary of Small Discontents: New & Selected Poems 1974-2024

A collection of poetry showcasing the diversity of subjects and forms in Yau’s writing.

This collection brings together work from half a century of writing by John Yau. Preoccupied with forms and musical structures, Yau’s work includes sestinas, sonnets, pantoums, and lists, as well as invented forms. Employing both strict and open—ended frameworks, Yau creates multi—faceted poems that can shift abruptly from humor to outrage and consider topics including Chinese American identity, school ...