Fragments of Girlhood: Between Notes and Cracks 

By Sisi Bui

how; make an oath to reach the wasteland 

du billet-doux et du raison d'être 

at five, then class half-past-eight,

between solecistic Pinterest captions & chicken scratch Mandarin notes 

and thanks yous of faustian bargains at Gemie and you notice the phone crack on your skin angled like the slash between the pronouns after your name

cling on, like a lifeline, like a flooding river 

because no, u didn’t grow up in the milieus of Hedonistic South Saigon, 

not until u escape your father, flesh and wound,

don't flinch, it's no cult, just girlhood.   

Sisi is a junior in high school from Saigon with a deep love for English literature. She was formerly a writer for a local youth political and cultural magazine, where she explored issues close to her generation. Outside of formal writing, she enjoys crafting poetry and often sends playful, poetic texts to her friends. Currently, Sisi is stepping away from the written word to explore metaphor and storytelling through other artistic forms, including photography, fashion, and curatorial practice.