Hahn's “Pine” has not yet been singled out for specific critical appraisal, but her collections of poetry have attracted the attention of reviewers. Overall, her poetry, which has been published in many literary magazines in addition to being collected in her own publications, has moved her readers to the point at which they find they must use words such as “powerful,” “beautiful,” “emotional,” and “breathtaking” to describe her work.

In a Publishers Weekly review of the collection Mosquito and Ant, in which the poem “Pine” appears, the critic begins the article with the sentence: “Bold, brave and sharp, Hahn's fourth and fifth books . . . are large in the range of their concerns and the intensity of their passions.” This reviewer comments on the influence of Japanese poetry on Hahn's work and compliments the sharpness and tightness of her writing. The subject matter of Hahn's work, this reviewer...