Burnings
by Ocean Vuong
may the sea receive them
as it does two pearls
of soft rain
— Burnings, Ocean Vuong
About Burnings?
Why it hit me so hard, and how Vuong’s poetry cut through everything I thought I’d already dealt with.
Raw and unfiltered.
Burnings left me wide open. Vuong’s poems blur history, family, and the body, brutal and tender at the same time. There’s grief in every line, but also survival. There’s blood, but also grace.
These aren’t poems you just read. You absorb them. You bruise a little.
They cut deep, then somehow warm the place they touched.
My Take
What struck me wasn’t just the language, it was how honest it felt. Vuong doesn’t try to protect you from pain. He doesn’t explain it.
He just puts it in your hands: burning, beautiful, human.
I found myself rereading whole pages out loud. Not for clarity, but because I wanted to feel the rhythm of the ache again. This collection is for anyone who’s ever had to carry grief in their mouth like a name.
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely, especially to those who crave poetry that’s emotional, lyrical, and doesn’t flinch from trauma.
This isn’t gentle. It’s necessary.
Where to Read It:
Out of print, but not out of reach.
List libraries on WorldCat that have the book
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Related Reads
If you liked Burnings, you might also enjoy:
Cursed Bunny by Bora Chung – Dark, poetic, and unflinching.
Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong – Vuong's poetic debut, intimate and unforgettable.
On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous – A novel in letters from the same author, just as raw and beautiful.
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