Oculus
Poems
Sally Wen Mao
"Oculus" by Sally Wen Mao is a powerful collection of poems exploring themes of exile, technology, and the violence of the spectacle. Through haunting and imaginative pieces, Mao delves into a range of topics including robot culture, electronic waste, and the complex roles that women of color are forced to endure. The collection also features a unique sequence narrated by film legend Anna May Wong, who journeys through the history of cinema with a time machine. With sharp wit and a speculative imagination, "Oculus" confronts the paradoxes of being seen and the effects of technology on contemporary society.