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Night Sky with Exit Wounds
Night Sky with Exit Wounds | Ocean Vuong
117 posts | 84 read | 7 reading | 128 to read
A haunting debut that is simultaneously dreamlike and visceral, vulnerable and redemptive, and risks the painful rewards of emotional honesty.
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lil1inblue
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A book of poetry from the TBR.

#ittakesallkinds #exitinthetitle

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks ❤️❤️❤️ 8mo
Eggs Stacked❣️ 8mo
21 likes2 comments
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GatheringBooks
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#ItTakesAllKinds Day 17: #ExitInTitle - bought this one while in Manila last December - here‘s my book haul: https://wp.me/pDlzr-pUQ

Eggs Perfection 👌🏼 8mo
Kitta I loved this. 8mo
44 likes2 comments
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GatheringBooks
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TheSpineView ❤️❤️❤️ 10mo
CaitlinR Such a brilliant collection! 10mo
30 likes2 comments
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GatheringBooks
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#PoetryMatters Day 21: #Threshold by Ocean Vuong.

TheSpineView 🤎🤎🤎 12mo
27 likes1 comment
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LadyCait84
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Pickpick

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.

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Kitta
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Pickpick

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.

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Kitta
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5feet.of.fury 🤣🤣 2y
11 likes1 comment
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Kitta
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Some poetry/nonfiction for #lgbtqiabingo #lgbtbingo
@Kenyazero

Kenyazero Nice! 2y
8 likes1 comment
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Kitta
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I love the quotes at the top of the page that give context to the poems, but this I wasn‘t expecting!

#poetry

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Kitta
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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!

10 likes1 stack add
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loz1327

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

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BekaReid
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Pickpick

Full of fragility and resilience

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Nute
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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

TrishB I brought this collection initially for the title! 3y
Cathythoughts I like how he is described ❤️ 3y
PhilipE I loved his novel, On Earth Were Briefly Gorgeous. Tender, funny beautiful coming of age story. I haven‘t discovered his poetry yet. Interested to see what you think. 3y
See All 9 Comments
Nute @TrishB The poetry seems to starting with the title. Same vibe, Trish!😀 3y
Nute @Cathythoughts I felt like this description of Mr. Vuong instantly connected me as a reader to him as an author.🙂 (edited) 3y
Nute @PhilipE So this is where I‘m starting, with his poetry. This is how I became aware of him. The title of his novel captured my heart. I hope to read it one day soon. Then we can chat, Philip. 🤗 3y
PhilipE @Nute sounds like a plan 3y
MegCaldwell I LOVE this book, and just picked up his new book of poetry Time is a Mother! 3y
Nute @MegCaldwell Right on! I‘m already so excited about his new book of poetry. I‘ll keep an eye out for your thoughts, Meg!😃 (edited) 3y
85 likes1 stack add9 comments
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jmtrivera
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Panpan

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

16 likes1 stack add
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itsyvetperez
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Pickpick

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

-- 5⭐️

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Kayla8
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Mehso-so

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

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AnneCecilie
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Mehso-so

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.

59 likes3 stack adds
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AnneCecilie
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From the poem “Notebook Fragments”.

This gave me a lot to think about

Heideschrampf Oh man, that hits hard, especially after the first rather funny (and true) observation 4y
49 likes1 comment
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jessjess

“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...

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bibliocurl
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Pickpick

🌟🌟🌟🌟

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MsLeah8417
Pickpick

I LOVE POETRY!!!
🌟🌟🌟🌟

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MsLeah8417
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Currently reading

12 likes1 stack add
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sarahlandis
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Pickpick

“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

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CaitlinR
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MayJasper 😕😕😕 5y
20 likes1 stack add1 comment
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MrBook
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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

ljuliel I like this new spotlight thing you‘re doing. Neat to see the photos and learn more about the authors. . 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5y
MrBook @ljuliel Thank you ☺️! I‘m bringing it back. I allowed life to waylay me, unfortunately *sighs*. Bringing back the #TBRtemptations, #LitsyNewsNetwork, #AuthorPotpourri, and maybe start another couple ones as well 😁. I‘ve at least been able to maintain #BookTalk and #LitsyHumor. (edited) 5y
ljuliel Life has a way of slapping us all upside the head at times. Pick yourself up , dust yourself off and keep moving. Better days ahead. 👍🏼. I‘ve noticed you‘ve also been highlighting some books from your library. That‘s nice too, as we ALL seem to be on the search for new book ideas, no matter how many we may have stacked up already. Hang in there. If this Old Geezer can keep getting up, you can too. 😊 5y
MrBook @ljuliel Thank you, my friend. You are an absolute delight, and you always put a smile on my face. I appreciate your kind words of encouragement. ☺️🤗 5y
79 likes4 comments
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Dolly
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Mehso-so

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.

TheSpineView I have the same problem. I'm not a fan of poems that ate so cryptic I am left scratching my head. 🤔 5y
52 likes1 comment
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CoraHirashiki
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Would an entry wound in the night make a hole wide as morning?

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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
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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

29 likes1 stack add
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ReadingEnvy
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Pickpick

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."

Redwritinghood I‘m looking forward to his novel coming out later this year. 6y
Lindy Such a great collection. 😊 6y
TrishB Love this collection too 💕 6y
ReadingEnvy @Redwritinghood me too! I may have an ARC of it but thought I should.read the poetry first. To my surprise there is a poem with the same name. 6y
75 likes3 stack adds5 comments
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readordierachel
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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

minkyb You crack me up!!! 6y
vivastory What a fantastic stack! 6y
See All 8 Comments
batsy 😆 Some lovely reading ahead though 😍 6y
Tanisha_A Wow! So many new to me poets here! Thanks for sharing. 😍 6y
BiblioLitten 😍😍 6y
merelybookish Wow! How could you resist you? 6y
117 likes8 comments
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AlizaApp
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Pickpick

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

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

TrishB I loved this collection too 💕 6y
35 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Mollyegutman
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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?

rachelsbrittain All of them 6y
Mollyegutman I‘m thinking my top list (highly incomplete) is... R.O. Kwon‘s THE INCENDIARIES, Melissa Broder‘s THE PISCES, and Patrick DeWitt‘s FRENCH EXIT. @rachelsbrittain 6y
See All 8 Comments
Mollyegutman @rachelsbrittain @sebrittain I heard that on YoUr PoDcAsT 😎 6y
rachelsbrittain @Mollyegutman ohhhh I see 😂🤗 6y
CoraHirashiki That‘s such a good idea! I‘m going to arrange a Secret Santa book swap with my friends. 5y
9 likes8 comments
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TrishB
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#poetrymatters #wind
I forced myself to use the spelling of color the poet uses....even if it is wrong....😁

LazyDays Love it!🙌 6y
rwmg It breaks my heart at work when somebody uses 'labor' consistently in 90% of their draft and I have to change the 10% 'labour'. 6y
90 likes2 comments
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Sue
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So this happened and I didn‘t notice 😂

aniket.barik Wow! Congrats! That's quite an accomplishment! 6y
Bklover Congratulations!!! 6y
Jas16 🙌🏽 6y
See All 11 Comments
DGRachel Congrats! 6y
Kalalalatja Woohoo! 6y
JoScho 🎉💖🎉💖🎉 6y
mrozzz Well done!!! 👏🏻😄 6y
ephemeralwaltz Very impressive!! Congrats 👏👏👏 6y
Izai.Amorim So now that you‘re done you‘ll take time off reading until January, right? 😂😂😂😂 6y
Sue You‘re a funny man @Izai.Amorim - I‘ve finished another 3 books since I posted this! 😂😂😂 6y
79 likes1 stack add11 comments
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elizabethlk
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Pickpick

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.

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Tonton
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Pickpick

Killer poetry

Lindy I love this collection too. 💜 6y
13 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Lindy
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Pickpick

“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

46 likes3 stack adds
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Lindy
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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

Reggie Yeesh, his poems are affecting. 7y
Lindy @Reggie Yes, indeed. 7y
Graywacke Love all these quotes your posting from Vuong 7y
41 likes3 comments
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Lindy
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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

CoraHirashiki Nice pairing 5y
46 likes2 comments
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Lindy
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… 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

MayJasper I cannot put words to how this makes me feel. But I feel. 7y
Lindy @MayJasper Trust poetry to express the ineffable. 😊 7y
44 likes2 comments
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Lindy
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My country. The blue sky. The black
limousine. My one white glove
glistening pink—with all
our American dreams.

-Of Thee I Sing

Reggie Wow. 7y
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Lindy
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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‘

TrishB You have reminded me I have this on the pile to read! I shall enjoy I think over the long weekend. 7y
Lindy @TrishB Put on some bulletproof armour first. 7y
TrishB 😁 enjoy is probably not the right word then. 7y
See All 7 Comments
Lindy @TrishB Yep. It‘s good though. 7y
saresmoore This art is gorgeous. 7y
Lindy @saresmoore you, me and Ocean Vuong… Rothko fans. 🎨 7y
49 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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sakeriver
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Fuck me up

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ReadingEnvy
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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

shawnmooney What a lovely time I had, back again on your wonderful podcast! 😍😍 7y
ReadingEnvy @shawnmooney you are welcome any time! 7y
LeahBergen Awesome! I can‘t wait. ❤️ 7y
See All 10 Comments
Lindy @readingenvy @shawnmooney Great episode, as always. Besides The Republic of Consciousness, there‘s the Giller Prize, the most lucrative Canadian literary award, that considers both long and short form fiction. 7y
ReadingEnvy @Lindy thanks Lindy... I think the RoC is unique because it's all micro or small presses. 7y
Lindy @ReadingEnvy Yes, but you were speculating about separating the short stories into a separate category because it must be hard to judge them together with novels. 7y
ReadingEnvy @Lindy true... and I still think so. I guess the Dylan Thomas prize does it too, the national Book award as well (but I always wonder if it doesn't disadvantage the short story collections as they rarely win.) 7y
Lindy @ReadingEnvy Is it true that they rarely win? I looked at the past 24 years of the Giller and short story collections won 4 times, plus were shortlisted on 5 other years. There are always so many great books, so that seems like a decent representation by short stories. (edited) 7y
Lindy @ReadingEnvy On the other hand, if I‘m specifically looking for award-winning short story collections, my number 1 source is the Frank O‘Connor Award. 7y
ReadingEnvy @Lindy if it were up to me I'd like both to be categories so both can be recognized! 7y
56 likes10 comments
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VioletBramble
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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.....

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shawnmooney
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LeahBergen 😮 7y
minkyb Wow... 7y
Suet624 Too much 😩 7y
44 likes1 stack add3 comments
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shawnmooney
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