101 Poems, Number 15

Favorite Poems Throughout My Life

15: “Torso of Air,” in Night Sky with Exit Wounds, 2016, by Ocean Vuong (1988–)

I read this in the New York Times

About two years ago—

And told myself, “Now here’s some lines

That I would like to know.”

And so I learned them—fairly fast—

They still are in my head.

The images are stunning—and

As stark as I have read.

A poet who is still so young—

Whose works, I think, will last.

He populates his lines with stars—

His words, a gleaming cast.

Link to poem.