Thank you to LibroFM and Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group for a copy of Ocean Vuong’s poetry collection, Time is a Mother.

I knew nothing about Ocean Vuong or this particular book, other than it had been highlighted as an April 2022 Indy Next List pick and was on prominent display at the bookstore where I work. I didn’t even realize that it was a poetry collection. I enjoy poetry, but generally I like to have a physical copy and read it aloud to enjoy the way the prose trips off my tongue and to engage with the rhythm of the piece. I rarely listen to poetry being read, but in this case, it was a potent surprise.

Vuong narrates Time is a Mother, allowing me to appreciate his works through his own voice, including his intended emphasis and pacing. I quickly realized that I would not be able to listen and do housework, as I normally do with audio books, so I got cozy on my couch and closed my eyes, listening to the entire work in one sitting.

I was stunned by Voung’s gorgeous prose and raw personal revelations. Voung covers a myriad of topics, including the immigrant experience, suicide, relationships, and the death of his mother. Having a personal connection to both family suicide and a mother dying of cancer, I intensely related to these two topics. Vuong mentions his mother throughout, but one particular poem, which is written in a list format of Amazon shopping purchases, reflecting the decline of his mother’s health, is particularly poignant.

Time is a Mother was an intense experience. The audio book is less that two hours, but I have spent days thinking about Voung’s words. I highly recommend this incredible poetry collection.