Treble

Robin Chamberlain is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of English and Cultural Studies at McMaster University.

In this her fourth book of poetry, Lau’s poems brim with raw emotion
and eloquent phrasing as she brings fresh perspectives to many of the
themes that defined her earlier works: relationships, erotic jealousy,
suicide, and heartbreak.

Many of the poems eloquently capture the particular pain that can be
inflicted only by those we love. In “Grownups,” Lau writes, “With
nothing to do we punish / each other for entertainment.” She dissolves
the boundaries between pleasure and pain, love and captivity, in lines
like “You could make a silky skin of it, / a valentine, a chenille
blanket, a lash, a whip. / Imagine yourself tied to a bed / roped by her
red hair.” The title poem concisely and beautifully describes the
difficulty, or impossibility, of connecting and communicating with those
we love.

One of the most refreshing aspects of Lau’s writing is her candour in
exploring taboo subjects, from drunk driving to infidelity, and in
revealing her identification with women like Glenn Close’s character
in Fatal Attraction: “I wanted you to win. To destroy / the family,
smug in its silver frame. / I know your rage. It throbs in me / like
lust, but it isn’t lust. / It’s snatching the other children’s
dolls.”

Such writing reminds us that Lau is one of Canada’s most powerful and
gifted poets. Treble is a must-read.