Poet Ocean Vuong sifts through the aftershock of grief in 'Time Is a Mother' | Fresh Air

Vuong is author of the acclaimed novel On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous. It was published in 2019, the same year he won a MacArthur "genius" grant. It was also the same year his mother died. "Ever since I lost her, I've felt that my life has been lived in only two days," Vuong tells Tonya Mosley. "There's the today where she is not here, and then the vast and endless yesterday where she was." Vuong has a new poetry collection called Time Is a Mother, which he describes as "a search for life in the aftershocks of death."
This episode originally aired April 4, 2022.
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[@jacobmiller7028]

Humbling, beautiful & all too true. The world needs this kind of honesty through vulnerability. Thank you for this interview.

[@Diabeteslovewithdee]

Ocean Vuong, you are my real hero! Please keep writing to inspire us to live - courageously and to live in peace. Thank you Fresh Air for interviewing my hero poet.

[@lisageiszler2332]

Wise tender and beautiful. When I’m not feeling well myself or about the world, I listen to Ocean Vuong, and I find a sliver of hope that an amazing person like him exists!!! Thank you Ocean!

[@mich3134]

Ocean is such a treasure. I’ve never felt so inspired by a living, young writer

[@deetran5967]

Ocean, you're an amazing poet and writer! I admire you so much. You're my hero for using your voice to speak the truth. Thank you for being you.

[@NamNguyen-gx1ey]

26:31

[@NamNguyen-gx1ey]

22:01