When Clouds Touch Us: Part III

by Thanhha Lai
In this sequel to Inside Out & Back Again, twelve-year-old Hà must learn how to adapt again when her family moves from Alabama to Texas.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Part I, Part II, Part III
40 words 49 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. complexion
    texture and appearance of the skin of the face
    Today
    exhales release fog,
    fingers curl into crabs.

    No wonder
    my throat tears,
    nose red-rips,
    complexion in embers.
  2. embedded
    enclosed firmly in a surrounding mass
    No need to guess
    my year’s fate—
    three sixth grades,
    two lost friends,
    now a throat
    embedded with nails.
  3. mince
    cut into small pieces
    Busy preparing Tết,
    still Mother brews
    her cough remedy
    of licorice roots,
    minced fresh ginger,
    just enough honey
    and many kumquats—
    peel sweet, pulp sour,
    seeds removed.
  4. kumquat
    a small oval citrus fruit with a thin sweet rind
    Prized ingredients
    her work friend
    stashes or grows
    to endure winter.
    From now on
    I shall think of
    Pig Lady as
    Kumquat Magician.
  5. tangy
    having a strong tart, sour, or piquant taste
    The smooth tangy syrup
    pools saliva at side jaws,
    submarines into taste buds,
    tingles of chewy peels,
    lingers from an earthy root.
  6. snarl
    make an angry, sharp, or abrupt noise
    Every cough
    intestines circle
    into gigantic roly-polies
    snarling unheard-of fangs.
  7. plead
    appeal or request earnestly
    Still,
    how to plead
    for another batch?
  8. strategic
    relating to an elaborate and systematic plan of action
    Excited to change
    into a gym jumpsuit
    for dodgeball, a game
    pain-free if strategic.
  9. consult
    get or ask advice from
    Stomps bring
    the gym teacher,
    who consults the nurse,
    who pulls in the counselor,
    who labeled me “neglected.”
  10. alleviate
    provide physical relief, as from pain
    Mother and Vu Lee
    miss work Friday
    to appease a judge
    who doesn’t believe
    cạo gió alleviates fever.
  11. vouch
    give supporting evidence
    A Vietnamese-born doctor,
    here two decades,
    barely remembering
    the language of her youth,
    vouches that her grandmother
    did something with a coin.
  12. seethe
    be in an agitated emotional state
    Mother seethes,
    her own words
    were dismissed.
  13. bristle
    react in an offended or angry manner
    The judge orders
    a Saturday parenting class.
    Not tomorrow,
    Mother bristles,
    cannot greet
    Tết weekend
    repenting a none act.
  14. repent
    feel sorry for; be contrite about
    The judge orders
    a Saturday parenting class.
    Not tomorrow,
    Mother bristles,
    cannot greet
    Tết weekend
    repenting a none act.
  15. infuse
    fill, as with a certain quality
    Not enough of Mother
    to upkeep Vietnamese
    when English infuses days,
    English overtakes dreams.
  16. despise
    look down on with disdain or disgust
    I despise verbs.

    But French
    would be worse.
    Passé composé,
    imperfect,
    blah.
  17. divert
    turn aside; turn away from
    Many breaths/smiles
    to divert anger
    from the next 365 days.
  18. conscientious
    characterized by extreme care and great effort
    Mother wishes me
    conscientious studies,
    tranquil mind,
    peace and safety.
  19. tranquil
    not agitated
    Mother wishes me
    conscientious studies,
    tranquil mind,
    peace and safety.
  20. prosperity
    the condition of having good fortune
    Something about
    longevity, prosperity.

    Mother says,
    Look in your
    pillowcase.

    A lì xì envelope,
    a crispy new $10
  21. destined
    governed by fate
    I enter sleep,
    destined to receive
    soothing surprises
    all year long.
  22. determined
    characterized by great firmness of purpose
    Mother fumes
    after parenting class,
    ever more determined
    to plot our futures.
  23. affirm
    declare solemnly and formally as true
    A chef would be respected?

    Vu Lee stiffens,
    breathes, affirms,
    I don’t choose by
    what others might think.
  24. dictate
    determine, order, or control how something is done
    Once she suggested
    I become a lawyer,
    now something worse:
    A judge dictates.
  25. tense
    in or of a state of physical or nervous strain
    I don’t glorify Piggy Poop,
    as rubber bands are snapping
    all over our tense air.
  26. coerce
    cause to do through pressure or necessity
    Just as magical,
    a bit of ink on paper
    melts college tension,
    drops sewing job,
    returns Mother home,
    coerces clouds
    to dive and touch us,
    watering down
    refugee living.
  27. establish
    set up or lay the groundwork for
    You go,
    establish your life.
  28. hesitate
    pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
    He hesitates;
    she insists,
    It’s your turn.
    Your brothers are leaving,
    and Hà one day too.
  29. gracious
    exhibiting courtesy and politeness
    She remains gracious
    when De-nise meets us
    after visiting her parents.
  30. baguette
    a long, narrow loaf of French bread
    Mother fluffs a sheet
    on living room carpet:
    a jug of water, four mugs,
    chả lụa sliced
    to snuggle inside baguettes.
  31. gourmet
    relating to high-quality, elaborate, or speciality food
    Bread not toasted,
    missing paté, cilantro,
    pickled daikon/carrots,
    dash of soy.

    Yet in our house home,
    floor seated, bare walls,
    bánh mì tastes gourmet.
  32. thrive
    make steady progress
    No, no,
    it would thrive there,
    anywhere,
    like my children.
  33. cradle
    hold gently and carefully
    Việt Pelé hesitates
    but can’t refuse
    when I fish pucker,
    cradle a chick.
  34. hammock
    a hanging bed of canvas or rope netting
    Four hours,
    six wooden poles,
    rolls of screen,
    endless nails,
    two hammers,
    three hammocks.
  35. stumble
    walk unsteadily
    At last, our anchor,
    always here
    should you stumble,
    need rest, seek comfort.
  36. delicate
    easily broken or damaged or destroyed
    A laugh,
    peach delicate.
  37. relinquish
    release, as from one's grip
    I relinquish you
    to a world
    unknown to me.
  38. coral
    of a strong pink to yellowish-pink color
    Relinquish ripe papayas,
    gain coral-colored melons?
  39. durable
    capable of withstanding wear and tear and decay
    A laugh,
    sesame-seed durable.
  40. loll
    be lazy or idle
    More swings,
    lolling like lotus-seed broth,
    floating us toward sleep.
Created on Mon Jul 29 09:54:28 EDT 2024 (updated Mon Jul 29 17:03:29 EDT 2024)

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