Bryna Antonia (Á Thanh) Cortes at Friends of Little Sài Gòn

For National Poetry Month 2024, Civic Poet Shin Yu Pai is launching Poetry in Place. This public poetry project includes the work of five local artists on the theme of Seattle places and sustainability at sites all across the city.

Seattle’s Little Sài Gòn
by Bryna Antonia (Á Thanh) Cortes

Fresh bánh baking,
refrigerator hums.
Red stripes through yellow,
old and proud, the iconic nón lá.

Jackson and 12th street trails,
swinging doors gift savory winds.
Bowls of soup warming you
with just a scent.

Markets of clamor,
of every color.
A chorus of languages,
histories near and far.

Fruits, greens, mints,
a whole aisle of spices.
Items the same, or at least similar,
create the table into a home.

We dream of walking between storefronts, connected paths.
Friends of Little Sài Gòn to Mi La Cay,
no division of wide blocks, spaced concrete.
Centers and parks filled across generations.

Visit Friends of Little Sài Gòn to see Cortes’ poem. You can also download the postcard and poster versions for yourself on our website.

Bryna Antonia (Á Thanh) Cortes (she/they) is a Mexican, Vietnamese artist who focuses on using nature and play to foster cultural and community connections.

Learn more about Civic Poet Shin Yu Pai’s public poetry campaign. 

Designed by Jayme Yen. This public poetry program is made possible by the Academy of American Poets with funds from the Mellon Foundation. This project was also supported by The Windrose Fund.