August 27, 2026
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Originally Published in Issue No. 14 of The Bitter Southerner Magazine
Mar.
Advil (ibuprofen), 4 pack
Sally Hansen Pink Nail Polish, 6 pack
Clorox Bleach, industrial size
Diane hair pins, 4 pack
Seafoam handheld mirror
“I Love New York” T-shirt, white, small
Apr.
Nongshim Ramen Noodle Bowl, 24 pack
Cotton Balls, 100 count
“Thank You For Your Loyalty” cards, 30 count
Toulene POR-15 40404 Solvent, 1 quart
UV LED Nail Lamp
Cuticle Oil, value pack
Clear Acrylic Nail Tips, 500 count
May
Advil (ibuprofen), 4 pack
Vicks VapoRub, twin pack
Portable Electric Nail Drill
Salonpas Heat-Activated muscle patch, 40 count
Lipstick, “Night Out Red”
Little Debbie Chocolate Zebra Cakes, 4 boxes
Jun.
Large faux-clay planter pots, value set
Carnation Condensed Milk, 6 pack
Clear Nail Art Acrylic Liquid Powder Dish Bowl, 2 pcs
Birthday Card—Son—Pop-up Mother and Son effect
Nike Elite Basketball Shorts, men’s small
Jul.
Saviland Holographic Gold Nail Powder, 6 colors
Nescafé Taster’s Choice Instant Coffee
Advil (ibuprofen), 4 pack
PIXNOR Pedicure Double-Sided Callus Remover
Bengay Medicated Cream, 3 pack
Aug.
Newchic Ochre Summer Dress Floral Print, sz 6
Wrigley’s Doublemint Gum, 8 pack
Plastic Adirondack Lawn Chair, colonial blue
Sep.
Nail buffers and files, 10 pcs
Coppertone Sunblock, 6 oz
Oct.
CozyNites Fleece Blanket, pink
Sleep-Ease Melatonin caps, 90 count
Icy Hot Maximum Strength pain relief pads
Nov.
Tampax, 24 count
Faux-Resin Hair clips, 3 pack
Dec.
Advil (ibuprofen) Maximum Strength, 4 pack
True-Gro Tulip Bulbs, 24 pcs
Jan.
Feb.
Healthline Compact Trigger Release Folding Walker
Yankee Candle, Midsummer’s Night, large jar
Mar.
Chemo-Glam cotton head scarf, sunrise pink
White Socks, women’s small, 12 pack
Apr.
Chemo-Glam cotton scarf, flower garden print
“Warrior Mom” Breast Cancer awareness T-shirt, pink and white
May
Mueller 255 Lumbar Support Back Brace
Jun.
Birthday Card— “Son, We Will Always Be Together,” Snoopy design
Jul.
Eternity Aluminum Urn, Dove and Rose engraved, small
Perfect Memories picture frame 8 x 11 in, black
Burt’s Bees lip balm, Honey, 1 pc
Aug.
Sep.
Easy-Grow Windowsill herb garden
Oct.
YourStory Customized Memorial Plaque, 10 x 8 x 4 in
Winter coat, navy blue, x-small
Nov.
Wool socks, grey, 1 pair
Author of On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, Ocean Vuong has won the American Book Award, the Mark Twain Award, and the New England Book Award. A nominee for the National Book Award and a recipient of a MacArthur “Genius” Grant, Vuong also is the author of the poetry collections, Time is a Mother and Night Sky with Exit Wounds. His 2025 novel The Emperor of Gladness was a New York Times bestseller and an Oprah Pick. Selected by Foreign Policy magazine as one of its 100 Leading Global Thinkers, and by Time Magazine for 2025 TIME 100 Next, Vuong’s writings have been featured in The Atlantic, Granta, Harper’s, The Nation, New Republic, The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Paris Review, The Village Voice, and American Poetry Review. His photography has been featured in The New York Times and Cultured Magazine. He currently serves as Professor in Modern Poetry and Poetics in the MFA Program at NYU.