TIME IS A MOTHER

Award-winning bestselling author Ocean Vuong narrates a profoundly visceral collection of poetry in which he unfurls his life after the death of his mother. His voice establishes a heartfelt cadence that fills each poem. He evokes a sense of neediness, as well as sad normalcy, through a heavy tone and moderately slow pace. Then there are poems--like "Dear Peter,'' for example--that reveal themselves like a headlong story, with barely any pauses. In those, Vuong's staccato, breathy narration suggests feelings of desperation. He speaks as if his life depends on every word. This work offers a story within a story. Vuong is telling listeners about a particular kind of survival--one that requires moving through and past tragedies. T.E.C. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2022]