"The Shark in Quetta" is a poetry collection by the Chinese poet and novelist EAVAN HOWE, crafted from a feminine perspective to convey the idea that "our heart grows old, but love and ego do not." Through expressive and profound verses, the collection reveals the intricacies of human thoughts, desires, paranoid love, and obsessions. Highlighted in the collection is the key verse, "Eat, Eat, but men's mind and soul. Eat, Eat, but women's body, mind, and soul," vividly expressing the complexity of love and the inherent intentions of the 'very self.' This persistent form of bigotry is portrayed through profound silence, lurking in the darkness and at the heart of the forest.
While narrating the experience of walking through patches of abundant berries, the poet articulates a craving for life and a thirst for self-discovery, intertwining it with depictions of inner warfare. The entire collection serves as a reflection on self-discovery and contemplation of love and eternity, taking readers on a journey to witness the astonishment, joy, great sorrow, and a hint of fine sadness in things.
Lastly, the lines urging beloved ones to swallow her down explore the delicate relationship between life, death, flesh, and soul, delving into captivating imagery of the voracious shark gliding into the abyss. Appeals to neighbors evoke images of an old house, wild sunflowers, and orange faces, sketching a narrative of the passage of time and love.
"The Shark in Quetta" is a poetry collection rich in meaning and emotion. Through EAVAN HOWE's prose, it presents a unique insight into humanity, love, and self-awareness.
Poet and novelist Eavan Howe's life story unfolds like her poetry - rich in emotion, vibrant in detail, and deeply intertwined with the beauty and pain of the world around her. Born and brought up in a quiet countryside of central China, Eavan spent her teenage years in the historic city of Xiangyang, where ancient echoes and the ever-changing dance of seasons whispered early tales into her soul.Eavan's academic journey, encompassing undergraduate study in Jilin University and in I-Shou University, transcended a mere pursuit of knowledge; it was a voyage across varied landscapes of thought and culture. Her time in Poland, serving as a volunteer teacher of Chinese language and promoter of Chinese arts, was not just a professional endeavor but a heart-opening experience, deeply connecting her with the rhythm of distant lands.Moving to Korea to earn her master's degree from Sungkyunkwan University, she encountered a mysterious morning star, a painter with rare gifts and insights. She called him "shark" "wild deer" "old neighbor". She saw his brave heart and she touched his face, she said that whoever once touched one of those orange faces, who held all the brilliant rays of sun in sky.Besides Poland and Korea, Eavan's odyssey extended further, stretching across continents and cultures. Her life in 31 countries was not just a tally of places visited, but a kaleidoscope of roles and revelations - from the precision and creativity demanded as an automation engineer to the soul-stirring moments captured through her lens as a photographer, and the brutal business she leads as a well-rounded and cold-blooded financial expert. Also, she is a trained brewer who for three years was the owner and host of an artisan bar whose regular patrons included filmmakers, writers, musicians, artists, and poets.Profoundly influenced by the introspective depths of Anaïs Nin, the poignant clarity of Wislawa Szymborska, and the eloquent simplicity of Elizabeth Bishop. Eavan's writing resonates with the same complexity, depth, and emotional honesty. Her experiences - the reflective tranquillity of winter in Xiangyang, the lively bustle of Hong Kong streets, the serene contemplation in Suwon's autumn, and the spiritually rich fabric of Beirut - infuse her work with vivid imagery and evoke visceral emotions.Eavan believes in the power of language and narrative to unveil the deepest human truths. She once remarked, "If there were no languages, no books, then all the pasts and presents of humankind would be pallid, and so would I be to you; for the only way to be naked before you would not exist. I firmly believe so, and I write. And I believe that my whole life is but an unfinished love letter to you."Currently dividing her time between Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and Istanbul, Eavan Howe continues to love, extract beauty from life, and interweave the rich tapestry of her life's experiences into her writing - each word a testament to the beauty, pain, joy, and eternal longing that define the human experience.
