an incomplete biography of Hồ Xuân Hương

She was born
in the late 18th century / in a house with three altars /
on a windy night / while warlords seized her village

She was the daughter of
a respected scholar / an impoverished tutor /
a vợ lẽ / a second wife with willow arms /
eyes like betel nuts / when dried and split

She was named
for her village / for the apricot blossoms / for the sweet waters
of the lake / for her petal earlobes / for her mother’s scent

Every morning, she
wound up her mother’s hair / cut jackfruit for them both /
listened for the xì xòm / of women bailing water into rice fields /
watched reflections of their bodies in the river

She composed her poems
in Nôm script / on the insides of her arms /
in dust gathered on tables / while eating dried plums

She wrote about
unnamed women weaving at night / men with scrolls / silk robes /
puffed chests / fruit falling in downpours /
the dark red ache / of orgasms

On auspicious days
she kneaded dough until tender / ground beans the colour of her lips /
made every fire unholy / with the letters of old lovers

According to popular legend
she once fell at the market / on her knees / she recited:
Dang tay vói thử trời cao thấp / xoạc cẳng đo xem đất vắn dài
I stretch my arms to learn the height of the sky / I spread my legs to measure the earth

She had one son
who was birthed in secret / who did not survive /
whom she called little plum

She died
in the early 19th century / within a few years of her mother /
while facing the West Lake / with one arm extended through the window /
heat still uncurling / in her chest

Note: Hồ Xuân Hương was an eighteenth-century Vietnamese poet. Her given name loosely translates as “Spring Fragrance.” This poem draws on scenes from her poems and speculations about her life.