Yellow Rain Poems
“Yellow Rain Poems” by Mai Der Vang, published by Graywolf Press on September 21, 2021, is a poignant exploration of the Hmong people’s experiences during the aftermath of the Vietnam War. This 176-page collection intricately weaves documentary elements, poetry, and collage to address the historical injustices faced by the Hmong, particularly concerning the mysterious substance known as “yellow rain.” Vang revisits the narratives of Hmong refugees who reported severe illnesses and deaths linked to this substance, challenging the widely accepted explanations that have overshadowed their plight.
In “Yellow Rain Poems,” readers will find a compelling blend of archival research and poetic expression that seeks to reclaim a silenced history. The work delves into the complexities of truth and representation, highlighting how marginalized communities often struggle for acknowledgment and justice. Through her evocative verses, Vang not only recounts the Hmong’s experiences but also interrogates the broader implications of erasure and the quest for truth in the face of systemic neglect. This edition serves as a vital contribution to the discourse surrounding American poetry and Asian American literature, inviting reflection on the intersections of history, memory, and identity.
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WINNER OF THE 2022 LENORE MARSHALL POETRY PRIZE
FINALIST FOR THE 2022 PULITZER PRIZE IN POETRY
FINALIST FOR THE 2022 PEN/VOELCKER AWARD FOR POETRY COLLECTION
FINALIST FOR THE 2021 LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE FOR POETRY
A reinvestigation of chemical biological weapons dropped on the Hmong people in the fallout of the Vietnam War
In this staggering work of documentary, poetry, and collage, Mai Der Vang reopens a wrongdoing that deserves a new reckoning. As the United States abandoned them at the end of the Vietnam War, many Hmong refugees recounted stories of a mysterious substance that fell from planes during their escape from Laos starting in the mid-1970s. This substance, known as “yellow rain,” caused severe illnesses and thousands of deaths. These reports prompted an investigation into allegations that a chemical biological weapon had been used against the Hmong in breach of international treaties. A Cold War scandal erupted, wrapped in partisan debate around chemical arms development versus control. And then, to the world’s astonishment, American scientists argued that yellow rain was the feces of honeybees defecating en masse—still held as the widely accepted explanation. The truth of what happened to the Hmong, to those who experienced and suffered yellow rain, has been ignored and discredited.
Integrating archival research and declassified documents, Yellow Rain calls out the erasure of a history, the silencing of a people who at the time lacked the capacity and resources to defend and represent themselves. In poems that sing and lament, that contend and question, Vang restores a vital narrative in danger of being lost, and brilliantly explores what it means to have access to the truth and how marginalized groups are often forbidden that access.
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