The body in defense against male appropriation expresses itself through work in writing, and the work in writing produces the book. So it's a different form of creation and generation that may be viewed as creation without male contribution as a component or challenge.

Sometimes the taproot and the vines are far apart. Like English and the Asian poem.

With so many brothers, I could always find a pair of shorts to borrow and run around in.

I'm in my 60s, and a cancer scare just makes you more aware of mortality.

As the only girl growing up for a long time with only boys, as you pointed out, it seems like I was always surrounded by guys. There was this sense in which my female body was a problem.

When I was younger, yes, there was a part of me - and I wrote about that bit in Among the White Moon Faces - that wanted to be a boy. I wanted to be accepted by my brothers and to be their peers.

Heterosexuality - whichever gender you are - says that the other gender is very important to you.