Welcome to My Home Away from Home!

My name is Lisa Haag Kang. I am a poet, essayist, freelance writer, and craft designer who also teaches writing and a variety of civilization courses at the college level. I live in Missouri with my husband, four children, three dogs, two birds, and the occasional hamster.

My poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in Passages North, Hayden’s Ferry, Spoon River Poetry Review, Spillway, The Lyric, The Lindenwood Review, The Examined Life, and others. In addition, my Poetry Chapbook, Recombinant Loves, was a runner-up in the 2012 Main Street Rag poetry chapbook contest. Another chapbook, A Benign Sort of Cannibalism, won the 2013 Clockwise poetry chapbook competition. My third chapbook, Stiletto Moon has been published by Aldrich Press, an imprint of Kelsay Books. A recent news article about Stiletto Moon can be found HERE.

My essays have appeared in several anthologies and journals, and my essay, “On Sea Cucumbers and Flying Solo,” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. 

My children’s writing tends to focus mainly on my first love: Asian History. I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Chinese Language and Literature and a Master’s Degree in Asian Studies from Washington University in St. Louis. During my travels and in my Asian Studies coursework, I developed a passion for Central Asia, especially Mongolia. Since then, I have both spoken and written on the subject, but my favorite activity is introducing children to this fascinating, yet all-too-often overlooked, part of the world.

I have been a contributor to Calliope, Dig, Hopscotch, Blaze, and Dig Into History. In addition, many of my original, multi-cultural crafts have appeared or are forthcoming in Highlights Magazine. I also visit classrooms, bringing crafts that teach students about worldwide cultures in fun, hands-on ways. I love seeing the look on children’s faces when they learn something new, when they can’t wait to ask questions, and when they proudly share their creations.