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The Smallest Measure Lyrics by Ocean Vuong

Night Sky with Exit Wounds

2016

Behind the fallen oak
the Winchester rattles
in a boy's early hands.
A copper beard grazes
his ear. Go ahead.
She's all yours...
Heavy with summer, I
am the doe whose one hoof cocks
like a question ready to open
roots. & like any god
-forsaken thing, I want nothing more
than my breaths. To lift
this snout, carved
from centuries of hunger toward the next
low peach bruising
in the season's clutch.
Go ahead , the voice thicker
now, drive her
home. But the boy is crying
into the carcass of a tree -- cheeks smeared
with snot & chipped bark.
Once, I came near
enough to a man to smell
a woman's scent
in his quiet praying--
as some will do before raising
their weapons closer
to the sky. But through the grained mist
that makes this morning's minutes,
this smallest measure
of distance, I see two arms unhinging
the rifle from the boy's grip,
its metallic shine
sharpened through wet leaves
I see the rifle...the rifle coming
down, then gone. I see
an orange cap touching
an orange cap. No, a man
bending over his son
the way the hunted
for centuries must bend
over its own reflection
to drink.
Credits
Ocean Vuong

Ocean Vuong

About “The Smallest Measure” by Ocean Vuong

Read the complete lyrics to "The Smallest Measure" by Ocean Vuong from the album "Night Sky with Exit Wounds" in 2016. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Literature.

"The Smallest Measure" is performed by Ocean Vuong. from the album "Night Sky with Exit Wounds" in 2016 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "The Smallest Measure", explore more songs by Ocean Vuong using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"The Smallest Measure" is credited to Ocean Vuong. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"The Smallest Measure" appears on "Night Sky with Exit Wounds" in 2016.

Visit the Ocean Vuong artist page at /artist/ocean-vuong for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.