Half Country, Half Seoul, by Trish Broome

Poetry, chapbook, 36 pages, from Bottlecap Features.

Half County, Half Seoul is a chapbook-length poetry collection that explores the beautiful, yet fractured relationship one can have with parents who are complete opposites in culture, character, and personality. It was written after Broome lost both of her parents unexpectedly within the span of eight years. It delves deep into her experience as a mixed-race daughter and showcases how a heartbreaking journey of grief can ultimately lead to acceptance and self-love.

Poet Broome explores topics such as shame, heartache, love, and loss through the recollection of childhood memories and more recent traumatic experiences. From an American Army base in Busan, Korea in the early 1980s, to a small downtown apartment in suburban Maryland in 2025, she takes readers on an emotional journey that is both lyrical and narrative. For anyone who has struggled with identity or family trauma, Half County, Half Seoul is a poignant look at how it’s never too late to forgive or find peace.

Trish Broome is a half-Korean writer who grew up in Newport News, Virginia and currently lives in Maryland. She credits her Oklahoman father for her love of fishing and mashed potatoes, and her Korean mother for her obsession with kimchi and spicy food. She started writing in the sixth grade to deal with the depression and anger caused by her parents’ divorce. Now that they have both passed, her writing focuses on the topics of grief, love and forgiveness. She also writes about motherhood, being mixed-race, and mental health. You can read more of her poetry on Instagram @trishb.poetry