Softly, I Speak

by Jessica Nguyen

'softly, I speak' is a book of heart-aching confessions meant to bring light to my journey from a place of unspoken hurt to one of articulated healing.

48 pages, Paperback

Published January 15, 2020

Reviews

[JD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Nguyen’s poetry speaks loudly of how fiercely brave, yet quietly passionate she is. One can taste, touch and feel the pain she portrays in the first half of her chapbook, as she navigates growing up in America while longing for the Vietnam she never knew. By the end of the second half of this slim volume of poems, you know just who she had become, yet you get a sense of not knowing her at all. A beautiful volume. I am extremely proud of this young talent.

[Linh-Yen Hoang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw and honest storytelling from a Vietnamese-American womxn in the form of poetry. The nuances were spectacular to read and I love that as a Vietnamese-American myself, we almost share a secret language and humor. Thank you for your words.

[Cindy Chu · Rating 5 out of 5]

The poems are very honest, and I related a lot as an Asian American woman. One of the poems, "I Buy for You Means I'm Sorry" - that hit my heart as a daughter of immigrants. Asking if you're hungry is how my parents shows "love" and that they care. Also in that poem, I really related to how the mom views the American dream, since that's something I learned to understand from my parents also. Great job, Jessica!

[Angela Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This debut chapbook is a daring read that captures the good and hard parts of the authors upbringing. Jessica blends trauma and resilience in this poetry collection. I am interested in reading more of her work!

[William Jeanes Memorial Library]

This is a short read, but it’s so powerful. The experiences of the speaker applies even now. It consists of intersectional themes of being Asian American, a womxn, part of the LGTBQ+ community, and having a disability. It spoke to me as I was reading personal experiences. It’s so empowering because it gets you to want to speak on your experiences. It reminds you that no one should hide your voice because it is important. It creates complex feelings on love as it applies in Vietnamese culture and American culture. I saw the way the language elevated the narrative.
-Patron J.L.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

“what’s it like to have a corpse with no history recorded on limbs”