Whisky Effusions

Whisky Effusions, a collection by Hong Kong poet Chris Song, operates in much the same way as the spirit from which it takes its name: it is rich, layered, and intoxicating in its depth. With a poet's precision and a translator's sensitivity to nuance, Song crafts verses that speak across borders and histories, blending Eastern and Western sensibilities into a singular lyrical voice. The poems in this collection move fluidly between worlds, mirroring the transient nature of both whisky and language. They brim with longing and reverie, yet also with the quiet resilience that defines Song's poetic vision. Here, language does not merely describe-it transforms, imbues, and intoxicates. This book is an invitation: to raise a glass, to listen closely, and to lose oneself in the effusion of words, where the warmth of poetry lingers long after the final sip. Chris Song is a poet, editor, and translator from Hong Kong, and an assistant professor in English and Chinese translation at the University of Toronto Scarborough. He won the "Extraordinary Mention" of the 2013 Nosside International Poetry Prize in Italy and the Award for Young Artist (Literary Arts) of the 2017 Hong Kong Arts Development Awards. In 2019, he won the 5th Haizi Poetry Award. Song is a founding councilor of the Hong Kong Poetry Festival Foundation, executive director of the International Poetry Nights in Hong Kong, and editor-in-chief of Voice and Verse Poetry Magazine.