This melodic, visceral collection juxtaposes the author's unbridled delight in motherhood with the complex and brutal practice of footbinding in China, the plight of Tibet, and the remarkable endurance of survivors everywhere. The Magic Whip pays particular attention to women and children whose ordeals have been imprinted on their very bodies and whose memories resonate in these exceptionally clear, beautifully crafted poems that bear the weight of human suffering and joy.