Monica Sok - Author & Poet

Death in Cambodia, Life in America

Monica Sok, author of A Nail the Evening Hangs On, discusses her upbringing in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and her connection to her Cambodian heritage. She shares how her parents' silence about their refugee experiences and her own curiosity led her to explore her history and pursue poetry. Sok talks about her time studying abroad in Vietnam and Cambodia, which inspired her to commit to writing poetry. She discusses her writing process and the emotional journey of creating her book. Sok discusses the process of writing her book of poems and the responsibility she felt to carry the history of her community. She explains how she created personas in her poems to write about the experiences of her family and community from a safe distance. Sok also reflects on how writing the book has changed her and brought her closer to the Khmer community. She hopes that future generations will learn the importance of their history, remain critical, and continue to fight against empire.

Supporting Monca’s Work:
Website: http://www.monicasok.com

Read Her Book:
A Nail the Evening Hangs On