Hieu Minh Nguyen - Notes on Staying

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Hieu Minh Nguyen, performing at Camp Bar in Saint Paul, MN.
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Button Poetry is committed to developing a coherent and effective system of production, distribution, promotion and fundraising for spoken word and performance poetry.
We seek to showcase the power and diversity of voices in our community. By encouraging and broadcasting the best and brightest performance poets of today, we hope to broaden poetry's audience, to expand its reach and develop a greater level of cultural appreciation for the art form.

[@shotinthedark2446]

"I cannot kill myself until my mother dies" this one hit really hard, beautifully written.

[@TheLoserface45]

"If joy is the only thing that tethers us to the ground, me and my mother spend days floating on the sidewalk" Brooo I feel so much for this.

[@GracefullyKaren]

No one wants to be alive when they are forgotten. I felt that. I know the feeling. I felt this whole thing.

[@KabobHope]

He is an amazing writer.

[@sofiasilva854]

"I cannot kill myself until my mother dies"

[@GothsarryAtresia]

Helena Sofia oh god, i can relate to this so much.

[@ayanagatling4895]

"Well if I'm being completely honest today I'm sad. Today was hard. Today I miss people." I relate to this so much.

[@tyleenstates3482]

Ayana Gatling same

[@jherciey1513]

Same. Same. Same.

[@HazelSolitaire]

"When she is gone, who will call my name" This hit me like a truck. I relate to this too much. I think this. My god.

[@clairedavis8922]

"Maybe hope is stopping the story before it's finished"

[@mickeciaa2335]

"Hope is what disarms the bomb when the city clutches the children goodnight."

[@pearpandas]

i legit read this when he said it

[@mrskmonster]

Me too!

[@mrskmonster]

Sweetheart, we need you here. Thank you for staying.

[@BiboDL]

Today I saw a live poetry reading by Neil Hilborn and he told us that he had written a poem inspired by Hieu Minh Nguyen's work here in this video. I am so glad he told us that. I am so glad I came here to watch this. I am so glad to be alive. To be able to see people be so vulnerable as they share their work with us. So honest. In truth, we find this pain, but in truth we find the hope too.

[@PPeAcELoVeMuSiCC]

"I feel furthest from wanting to live when I think of joy as some kind of destination." All of his poem struck a chord in me, but that line especially. Just, wow. It explains everything.

[@charlottesreadsthings211]

I am speachless. You could feel everything in every single syllable he spoke.

[@ReneMullen]

This is one of the most perfect poems on suicidal ideation I've come across. Keep fighting! And thanx you for sharing your story!

[@elishamiyahira4301]

hieu always reminds us of the human's depravity and yet somehow finds the beauty in pain. a realistic hope.

[@Helena-bn9se]

“Too often I don’t tell people, people I love, I am sad. Because I don’t think that’s something they want to hear, because they love me because I don't want them to think that the currency of their tenderness isn’t enough when it has been and will be again well if I'm being completely honest today I'm sad today is hard today I miss people dead and alive far and near I miss them all but I should mention hope since hope is what disarms the bomb when the city clutches the children goodnight the red wire blue wire optimism of my mother's voice when she says I don't need friends just you and in me still a child refusing to accept the terms of her mercy and how many times have I heard were all gonna die one day or how many times have I've heard you'll understand when you're older boring hopelessness clearing that table before we eat which is fine who needs a last meal who needs a good reason to leave the party before things get weird so maybe that’s hope maybe hope is stopping the story before its over the inevitable messy end. O monger of the broken records. O monger of the early birthday present. push me from the highway overpass lets leave the story there, lets leave the body hole in mid air illuminated by oncoming headlights a tiny song a pixel in the pix elated mouth of hope or whatever it is that propels us through that door of tomorrow and since there was no key I guess ill swallow the door.”

[@TheOpalLove]

It's one of those nights where I find myself here at two in the morning, sobbing and thinking of my mother downstairs and knowing in this moment we are the same.

[@retiredmenace]

you can see the pain in his eyes.. i relate to this..

[@criticalcrash]

This made me feel less alone. But I felt every single bit of this.

[@leigh7569]

I love his poetry. Anything he releases I will purchase. Thanks English Lit professor for recommending me to him :D

[@ellerose8653]

"No one wants to be alive when they are forgotten" that hits home ,😍

[@multibasking]

i started crying after the very first line

[@kellyquitoriano6909]

this poem is beautiful but it hurts

[@miri8961]

The poetry on this channel is so beautiful I cry everytime! It's so amazing to know there are so many phenomenal poets in the world 💓

[@DigvalleyMusic]

This is real. So powerful. And heartbreakingly beautiful.

[@hanri6367]

Yooo...wow. Best description of what suicidal thoughts/intentions feels like.

[@ChloeJalil]

I cried many tears. Thank you for this release

[@marianbakarr6795]

I'm in love with every word, this.

[@eliseb4881]

This is so incredible, everyone needs to see this. You’re an inspiration

[@ST-wj3fu]

Wow. This is beautiful. No words can do justice.

[@makaitheartguy]

This is so breathtaking

[@lihilevy366]

This is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.

[@idolRue]

This was the most beautiful and true-ringing slam I have heard in a while. Absolutely art.

[@Bobbiesquirrel]

Amazing! This hit my heart with deep relatable feelings. Just beautiful!

[@stinastina2293]

This poem is everything I've ever felt and couldn't find words for. Truly inspirational.

[@katieflanagan3644]

This is truly the most beautiful poem/piece of literature I've ever heard. Thank you.

[@tamisueda]

Crying my eyes out. Gosh, what a powerful poem! Thank you so much for this, Hieu. ❤

[@juliabreitkreutz6162]

Beautiful. I don't know how else to describe this.

[@katelynnbleh1730]

this is amazing, I applaud them for this poem, it is so beautifully written and spoken

[@joshuacalzada3730]

Those words cut me deeper then any knife could... I heard him speak and felt my self in the words

[@kat249pollock]

This is my favorite poem in existence.

[@Snowflake8448]

W o a h... this was so incredible I mean you capture a feeling so perfectly and articulately I am absolutely shook. Thank you for finding a reason to stay and write something this breathtaking. Everyone should listen to this poem because it's impact is everlasting. I am so thankful that I was fortunate to stumble upon it! You are incredibly talented and they way you use each word so deliberately in this poem is beautiful. I am in awe of you and your talents please upload another!

[@aleashaa2579]

absolutely love it . tells my life story

[@carylmontilla9232]

I'm gonna share something personal because this got me sobbing like a little bitch. My older brother died a year ago and long before that, my father, and longer was my youngest brother. The same year before my brother died I tried to kill myself in my sleep. Not knowing that the meds I took weren't enough to kill me. Embarrassing and stupid, I know. Everyday since my brother died, I wished that I was the one buried six feet underground because I couldn't bear living alone with my mother who always cry at night. I am not strong enough to stay but I'm trying everyday because I don't want to leave her alone. The line that got me sobbing was "I cannot kill myself until my mother dies." You don't know how much this gets me.

[@sashah2068]

Caryl Montilla I'm so sorry. Please keep fighting to live. There's so much to live for - so much to experience for your brother, for your father. Live for them...

[@sashah2068]

Caryl Montilla I'm so sorry. Please keep fighting to live. There's so much to live for - so much to experience for your brother, for your father. Live for them...

[@paulamicaela1301]

Caryl Montilla this made me cry so much... I am so sorry for what you are going through

[@nicoledelfin6839]

the world needs you here, love.

[@heartpony123]

This reminds me of my mother.

[@AsAlwaysBirdie]

This is so beautiful and so painful at the same time.

[@AllEclectic]

he speaks how I feel right now...

[@canislupes]

My mother died a few months ago. Some of this is very relatable.

[@starsforeyes6545]

i see, all these beautiful poems on this page, and its sad to know people go through all this, i just want to give them hugs and absorb all they're pain because no one should ever feel this way,❤

[@winsomewest2703]

I've watched it three times now. Around 1:40 is where I start to cry. I don't understand why this speaks to me so much.

[@kennedyw2293]

blown away is my current mood

[@AlyAcevedo]

So incredibly powerful

[@lorenagomez7435]

I would love giving this video a thousand likes

[@JusticeAnimeGeek]

This is me, yet, also what I fear my children will be. Everyday is a battle, and I fight them because those who love me. Those I love more than myself, enough to hold on, knuckles turning white, to this edge I've been hanging on. And sometimes, I get so good at pretending to be ok that even I start believe it. Until something makers my body feel like lead, and my mind begs for me to let go. But this is one thing I can not afford to let go.

[@omigoshitsjulia]

bone chillingly beautiful

[@CoffeeeCrow]

this was astonishing.

[@LifeLikeI]

So powerful!!! 😢😢😢

[@ariannabarajas5511]

This is beautiful

[@riwarassi3311]

love this too much

[@spangled_soul]

Brilliant poem!

[@girldisappearing6129]

Holy shit I felt every bit of this.... Thank you.... He has such a gift....

[@WickedxRed]

Goosebumps

[@carliearabella74]

this is amazing

[@Nisharenee_]

Amazing 👏🏾 👏🏾

[@minew321]

This is so amazing. I hope the poet is doing well

[@maddiefenn1686]

my favourite poet.

[@chatfavela]

OH shit things just got real, this was amazing it chills and touched so much thank you!

[@dandyguy9220]

chills...

[@Voteforthefuture]

Appreciate your truth, it can be suffocating.

[@nora_fluffy]

amazing

[@kamoolski]

Wow. I am speechless. You took a feather shotgun and my brains are splattered over the walls.

[@jesslaura4506]

Eloquent and fucking crushingly beautiful.

[@ellespeer8282]

No one wants to be alive when they are forgotten 😍😧

[@brianalafrazier6572]

My goodness ❤

[@wherearethecrystals]

this is damn good!!

[@fluke88_]

Damn, this poem hurts.

[@aneeshchandoke563]

God Bless

[@NomadT]

felt that..

[@timothyking9393]

good poem.

[@tommieturgeon3783]

Will he be releasing a new book anytime soon that anyone knows of?

[@fhqqtastic]

Can I hug you please? Thank you for being here.

[@kevinmwangi7795]

relatable

[@chrissaunders2955]

What book is this beautiful poem from??

[@jineebat-erdene9676]

💌

[@AceIzar]

Fuck. This is just amazing. I am feeling this so hard. wow.

[@tk7o8]

I thought it said "Notes on slaying" the only thing that was slain was my heart

[@SaturatedLife1]

Yeah man. In my own way, yeah man.

[@hunterbenson754]

Oh boy this one hurt me

[@user-iw3yo6sf8c]

Is it raining or am I crying?

[@ovoprincessz]

💔

[@andrewsokulski8922]

"Too often I don't tell people..."

[@tommieturgeon3783]

Is this poem in his book "this way to the sugar" ?

[@ButtonPoetry]

It is not.

[@amandanacleta]

oh man

[@lonelydoll6564]

"because I don't think that's something they want to hear"

[@AmandySue]

Can someone explain what the poem means.

[@TheLoserface45]

962airplanes well basically he doesn't feel like his mother loves him, he never did, and sees no hope in her loving him. He wants so much to leave his home and find happiness even if that means suicide. The only thing stopping him is that he doesn't want to hurt her and now he is stuck trying to live for her sake.

[@marwaslibrary9363]

"i cannot kill myself until my mother dies.."

[@jeffersonkonah284]

The story ends with him floating in mid air above the highway...

[@Skyy27]

"We're all going to die one day" Damn.

[@212inspire]

I don't know what to say