an internationally published poet, translator, and cultural-curator who champions bilingual poetry and poets. Born and raised in Suk Su Dong, South Korea, she immigrated to the US at the age of eighteen. Tanya has an MFA from Antioch University and is a Ph.D. student in Mythological Studies at Pacifica Graduate Institute. Tanya lives in Southern California with her family.
Tanya is the author of five books: The War Still Within(forthcoming from KYSO Flash Press, 2019),Mother to Myself: A collection of poems in Korean(Prunsasang Press, 2015), Yellow Flowers on a Rainy Day(Oma Books, 2003), Mother’s Diary of Generation(Qumran, 2002), and Generation One Point Five(Esprit 1993).
The War Still Within: Poems of the Korean Diaspora (Kyso Flash, 2019). Dedicated to “all the women everywhere who have lost their names,” this book celebrates the courage of women to speak their truth and acknowledges the suffering of those who never could. Part historical imagining of Japan’s so-called “comfort women” during World War II, part personal claiming of her own experiences with immigration and motherhood, and part exploration of identity across two languages, The War Still Within weaves together two cultures and gives voice to generations of Korean and Korean-American women. The book is a recent recipient of the 10th Ko Won’s Literary Award.
“Tanya Ko Hong captures in these spare, elegant poems, a world of cruelty, suffering and survival. Here is beauty juxtaposed with pain so deep it’s almost impossible to put into words. And yet this fine poet does just that. She breaks our hearts with the truth and astonishes us with her compassion.”
Tanya’s poetry appears in Rattle, Beloit Poetry Journal, Cultural Weekly, The Feminist Press, Lunch Ticket, great weather for MEDIA, Califragile, Choson Iibo, Korea Times, Korea Central Daily News, and the Aeolian Harp Series Anthology, among others. Tanya’s work has won the Yun Doon-ju Korean-American Literature Award, was a finalist in Frontier’s Chapbook Contest, and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. In 2015, her segmented poem “Comfort Woman” received an honorable mention from the Women’s National Book Association. In 2015 and 2018, she became the first person to translate and publish Arthur Sze’s poems in Korean.
Tanya is an international speaker. She has been invited as a Panelist, an Educator, a Translator, an Event Coordinator and has shared her poetry at many International Conferences. She is a cultivator of change in the AAPI community and closing the generational gap providing open communication and speaking out. Tanya is available for in person and virtual events, join her for the next event!
Ko Won’s 10th Literary Award
“The War Still Within” Poetry Book 2020
Moon Prize
“The Way To Cross the Desert”
2020
Pushcart Nomination
“The War Still Inside You”
2018
Yoon Don Ju Literary Award
(1st Korean-American Winner)
2018
The War Still Within
KYSO Flash Press, 2019
Mother to Myself
Prunsasang; Korean Poetry Collection, 2015
Yellow Flowers on a Rainy Day
Oma Books of the Pacific; English Poetry Collection, 2003
Mother’s Diary of Generation
Qumran; Korean Essay Collection, 2002
Generation 1.5
Esprit; Korean & English Poetry Collection, 1993
