Tulpa

Book excerpt: In Buddhist mysticism, a 'tulpa' is a magical entity created by intensely concentrated thought. In other words, a perfect metaphor for a book of poetry. Tulpa, Louise Bak's second Coach House book, continues her challenging exploration of a broad range of themes: popular culture, the sex trade, the role of Asian and Asian-Canadian women in culture, and her father's death. It's a stirring and always provocative collection that combines a visual artist's flair for colour with a performance artist's transgressive interventions. Tulpa again proves that Bak is one of the most unique voices in postcolonial Canadian writing.