Poems About Ocean Vuong by Top Critiquers

The news announced the sinking ship;
water pushing its metal hull
off a gangplank of the straight
until it crumbled as crystal over rock

Planes spotted flotsam and jetsam
—pinched debris riding a caterpillar
of watery waves inching across the sea—
its waterlogged bite engorged
from strewn pages as leaves
sinking into a survivorless
translucency

Below, a commandeered army
—a delegation of new ghosts
manifesting posthumously
because sometimes Poseidon reads
while sitting peacefully at his desk—
allowing...

Once the bombs fall and the bullets fly
It’s time to get out of there

There is no diplomacy
There is no law to abide by

There is no process to follow
The instincts to stay alive kick in

While some lost limbs under the train
Others go through desert at night

Trying to avoid the blistering sun
Dying of thirst
  looking at plastic gallons of water
    spilled on upon the earth

Their vision escaping
Their mission seeming hopeless
As border patrol is approaching…

“Let’s have another...