This is a collection of three poems titled, tại sao mommy? (translation: why mommy?), inspired by stories and memories between my mother, Mai Thi Le Huynh, and I.

I was motivated to write these stories and memories into the form of poetry after reading Bouncing Back: Community, Resilience, & Curiosity by Dr. Fujimoto, in which he tells stories of his own mother overcoming great obstacles. His storytelling reminded me of the obstacles my mother has overcome and continues to overcome. From providing for our family as a nail technician for 17 years and now as a waitress to keeping the family together during a housing crisis in January of 2019, she did it all. Within her story of resilience and many stories alike, there is tension and suffering. I wanted to explore that tension and suffering within my relationship with my mother.

I felt tremendous feelings of sadness, guilt, and frustration as I reflected on my relationship with my mother while writing. However, those feelings have only led to a greater understanding between my mother and I, ultimately making our relationship resilient. ​

Please continue to this website to view my project:

https://tiffanynguyenpoetry.weebly.com/