Welcome to Litsy!

A book of poetry from the TBR.

#ittakesallkinds #exitinthetitle

#ItTakesAllKinds Day 17: #ExitInTitle - bought this one while in Manila last December - here‘s my book haul: https://wp.me/pDlzr-pUQ

#PoetryMatters Day 20: #Toy

#PoetryMatters Day 21: #Threshold by Ocean Vuong.

So often in his poetry, Ocean Vuong follows a stanza of cloudy (yet evocative) metaphor with a line so sharp with clarity that it makes me gasp out loud.

Sometimes, I‘m not sure my mind fully understands what he‘s saying, but it feels like my heart does.

I don‘t normally read poetry but Ocean Vuong makes it easy to enjoy. Thought provoking and just as good as seeing him in person a few weeks/months ago (what even is time anyway?).

His poems range from during the war in Vietnam to stories about his father. I‘m so glad I have his newest work (Time is a Mother) at home ready to read when I get back.

#truth

Some poetry/nonfiction for #lgbtqiabingo #lgbtbingo
@Kenyazero

I love the quotes at the top of the page that give context to the poems, but this I wasn‘t expecting!

#poetry

Just starting this book of poetry. Not my usual cup of tea but I love Ocean Vuong.

Hi in the corner from my parent‘s golden Winnie!

"Use it to prove how the stars were always what we knew they were: exit wounds of every misfired word."

Full of fragility and resilience

This choice actually happened before the last choice but it was sold out in the bookstore. Today I was happy to see that the stock had been replenished and now, tonight, Ocean Vuong and I shall become acquainted. He is described as one who allows “his personal suffering to connect him to every other fallen, broken, wounded member of our world.” That should mean that he grooves in a way that I can appreciate.
We‘ll see…

#PoetryMatters
#Poetry

While this poetry collection had a number of interesting lines and ideas, overall it was not my jam.

"Stars. Or rather, the drains of heavenー
waiting. Little holes. Little centuries
opening just enough for us to slip through."

-- 5⭐️

I should preface by saying that I don‘t read much poetry. I am just getting into it.
With that being said, I felt that most of these poems were just out of my reach. The rhythm was palpable and the language beautiful - and although I caught some meanings here and there, I mostly felt like I was always missing something? Overall I didn‘t find the poems to be easily digestible.
I hope to take another stab at this down the road someday!

#poetry

This is a poetry collection and as I always says when I review a poetry collection, I don‘t read much poetry. In this collection, I really felt that. This is more traditional poetry and I feel like I‘m missing something.

From the poem “Notebook Fragments”.

This gave me a lot to think about

“I think reading itself—and reading poetry, of course—is political because it‘s such an anti-capitalistic genre, that to engage with it at all is to resist almost everything that attempts to control and manipulate us towards capital.“
- from https://www.banffcentre.ca/articles/ocean-vuong-why-reading-will-always-be-polit...

🌟🌟🌟🌟

I LOVE POETRY!!!
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Currently reading

“The most beautiful part of your body is where it‘s headed. & remember, loneliness is still time spent with the world”
Absolutely beautiful poems. Highly recommend.
Book was lent to me by a boy who said this was his favorite book of poems. He wrote notes in the margins and sketched on blank pages

Today‘s author spotlight: Ocean Vuong! The 30-year-old Vietnamese-American was born in Ho Chi Minh City, spent a year as a refugee in the Philippines, and moved in 1990 with his family to Hartford, CT. At age 11, he was the first in his family to learn to read. The openly-gay poet earned a degree in 19th-Century English Lit while studying under novelist Ben Lerner. He‘s received numerous awards and recognitions. #AuthorPotpourri #TheMoreYouKnow

This is a perfect example of poetry written beyond my reach. More than 50% of these poems were wasted on me. I caught a few meanings here and there and they were tragic/deep/beautiful. Other readers seem to understand Vuong‘s poems but sadly not I. How does one rate a book like this? I cannot critique what I don‘t understand.

Would an entry wound in the night make a hole wide as morning?

The latest in a series of library books I have been tempted to check out even though I have so many books waiting for me at home. #NoRegrets #Poetry

This poetry collection has been recommended twice on the Reading Envy Podcast by readers I trust - @shawnmooney (Episode 111) and Lauren (Episode 147) but I took my time getting to it.

Poems span from grappling with a father's experiences and a painful family/country history to the poet's own body and adulthood.

Favorites include "Telemachus," "A Little Closer to the Edge," "Into the Breach," "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous," and "Logophobia."

I was just going to drop off some books...
Apparently, I will be going hard for National Poetry Month.

I have no self-control 😆
#libraryhaul

I loved many of these poems, about family and shared history and otherness. Can‘t wait to read Ocean‘s novel, which will be out later this year. #HalfBloodBingo

From “Someday I‘ll Love Ocean Vuong” by Ocean Vuong. This whole poetry collection was filled with killer lines.

Recently had a Secret Santa-style book swap with my coworkers. I gave NIGHT SKY WITH EXIT WOUNDS and received THE MERMAID AND MRS. HANCOCK, which I can‘t wait to read!

Are there any books you‘re hoping to give or get this holiday season?

#poetrymatters #wind
I forced myself to use the spelling of color the poet uses....even if it is wrong....😁

So this happened and I didn‘t notice 😂

Such a darkly beautiful poetry collection. Vuong really knows how to use language and form to his benefit. I am going to have to give this a reread at some point, and find some of his other work. Definitely recommended.

Killer poetry

“Dear god, if you are a season, let it be the one I passed through / to get here.”
Ocean Vuong‘s poetry collection has left me with an exit wound. I am deeply affected by the violence, the tenderness & the beauty in his imagery, as well as his quest for meaning in suffering.
“An American soldier fucked a Vietnamese farmgirl. Thus my mother exists. Thus I exist. Thus no bombs = no family = no me.”
#LGBTQ #ownvoices #poetrychallenge2018

From men, I learned to praise the thickness of walls.
From women,
I learned to praise.
If you are given my body, put it down.
If you are given anything
be sure to leave
no tracks in the snow.

To My Father / To My Future Son

#LGBTQ #poetrychallenge2018

Turn back & find the book I left
for us, filled
with all the colours of the sky
forgotten by gravediggers.
Use it.
Use it to prove how the stars
were always what we knew
they were: the exit wounds
of every
misfired word.

-To My Father / To My Future Son

#LGBTQ #poetrychallenge2018

… Suppose you woke
& found your shadow replaced
by a black wolf. The boy, beautiful
& gone. So you take the knife to the wall
instead. You carve & carve
until a coin of light appears
& you get to look in, at last,
on happiness. The eye
staring back from the other side—
waiting.

-Torso of Air
#poetrychallenge2018

My country. The blue sky. The black
limousine. My one white glove
glistening pink—with all
our American dreams.

-Of Thee I Sing

The TV said the planes have hit the buildings.
& I said yes because you asked me
to stay. Maybe we pray on our knees because god only listens when we‘re this close
to the devil.

-from the poem titled for the painting above (Internet image): ‘Untitled (Blue, Green and Brown): oil on canvas: Mark Rothko: 1952‘

Fuck me up

Shawn reads poetry and Jenny reads a book Shawn recommended last year. This and more on Reading Envy Podcast 111: Emotional Dipsy Doodles. @shawnmooney https://tinyurl.com/ReadingEnvy111

I'm more than a bit late posting my January poetry selection.
#poetrychallenge2018

Look, my eyes are not your eyes.
You move through me like rain heard from another country.
Yes, you have a country.
Someday, they will find it while searching for lost ships.....

#QuoteOfTheDay

#QuoteOfTheDay