Monday's Poetry: Kissing in Vietnamese- by Ocean Vuong
Not a Mary Oliver, and not cheerful. But when I read it the first time I was captivated by how fierce a demonstration of love. I hope it touches you as well...
All I see when I read this is a little boy being forced to endure his grandmother's kisses. Oh my it's hilarious to me from a child's perspective. I can see my son as a child hating being kissed by anyone at all & how torturous it was to him. But I also see how I do breath in the scent of my grandbaby (just like I did my own baby) soaking it all in deep in my lungs. It is precious from the perspective of a grandmother. Love it.
Oh, that Joel ;)! It touched me because my daddy is a Vietnam vet and he has always talked with utmost compassion for the people and the atrocities they suffered. I can remember breathing in my baby's scent and hoping I would always remember it, but then I think of the grandmother in this poem, breathing them in as if it were the last moment she might ever see them. Very poignant!
My Charlie has lived that way as a parent & grandparent...savoring every single moment as if it were the last. And we both admit to sniffing Joel's head even as an adult when we hugged him though it embarrassed him immensely. There is nothing as precious as our children.
Amen! There is nothing as precious as our children, and (I can only imagine :) grandchildren. So happy you that you are getting to enjoy that sweet little boy every day!
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All I see when I read this is a little boy being forced to endure his grandmother's kisses. Oh my it's hilarious to me from a child's perspective. I can see my son as a child hating being kissed by anyone at all & how torturous it was to him. But I also see how I do breath in the scent of my grandbaby (just like I did my own baby) soaking it all in deep in my lungs. It is precious from the perspective of a grandmother. Love it.
ReplyDeleteOh, that Joel ;)!
DeleteIt touched me because my daddy is a Vietnam vet and he has always talked with utmost compassion for the people and the atrocities they suffered. I can remember breathing in my baby's scent and hoping I would always remember it, but then I think of the grandmother in this poem, breathing them in as if it were the last moment she might ever see them. Very poignant!
My Charlie has lived that way as a parent & grandparent...savoring every single moment as if it were the last. And we both admit to sniffing Joel's head even as an adult when we hugged him though it embarrassed him immensely. There is nothing as precious as our children.
DeleteAmen! There is nothing as precious as our children, and (I can only imagine :) grandchildren. So happy you that you are getting to enjoy that sweet little boy every day!
Delete