Yearly Archives: 2019

“The Veteran” by Kathy Nguyen

There are two veterans in the family. Father, who wasn’t recognized as one, and my brother, who was born here and served in the U.S. military and is therefore formally recognized as one. The officially recognized veteran receives the benefits of the institution, and he understands that privilege he holds over the unrecognized.

Book Review: Huế 1968

Huế 1968 is nonfiction storytelling at its best—reading like the perfect adventure story… That said, however, I am disappointed, daresay devastated (again…) at the absence of the voices of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), who serve as nothing more than background in a story for which they played a key role. […]

THIS IS FOR MẸ: Appellation

In this excerpt of digital magazine, this is for mẹ, Danny Thien Le revels and reflects in the power of one word to heal, create home, kindle nostalgia and transcend time… Do you remember / the first time you / taught me your name / … / Was I finally a refuge / for the refugee […]

“Dear Ba” ~ poems

Poems by Anh-Hoa Thi Nguyen. Dear Ba, Sometimes I drive past our old house, looking to see if it still houses all the wounds I endured there. The stifling silence, crowding of needs, the hand-me down desires. I can still hear the hurricane of dishes, your anger howling, the denial of longings. […]

“Chênh Vênh” / “Unsettled”

Tình bạn chúng tôi mỗi ngày một thắm thiết. Đôi khi bà vỗ vỗ lên vai tôi nói: “Nếu không có em thì ta chẳng đi tới đâu được nữa. Con cháu của ta đâu có lúc nào cũng cho ta hai bờ vai để ta nương tựa như em.” 

An Interview with She Who Has No Master(s)

Near the end of last February, I saw an event floating in my FB newsfeed entitled Soap for the dogs x She who has no master(s). It caught my eye because I noticed the names of three Viet women: Vi Khi Nao, Dao Strom, and Stacey Tran. I must go, I must support, were the words running through my head. […]

“Unsettled” / “Chênh Vênh”

A bilingual story by Trần Mộng Tú: … I exist, finally, but I am lonely. My beloved friend for so many years, where is she?…