A poem in Vietnamese by Nguyễn Đức Sơn
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
Art: Đinh Trường Chinh

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Message

If thee were to care for me at all in the next life

A ghost in a hole long gone

It’s a stretch so take it easy please mate

Why would you place your butt on an abandoned grave

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April 2022

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Nhắn

Đời sau người có thương ta

Từ lâu xuống lỗ làm ma mất rồi

Đường xa thôi miễn bồi hồi

Mả hoang nhảy đại lên ngồi đi cha

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Nguyễn Đức Sơn, the poet was born on November 18, 1937, in Du Khanh village, Thanh Hai district, Ninh Thuan province, originally from Thua Thien Hue. He began writing poetry very early with the pen name Sao Trên Rừng, and other pen names like Sơn Núi. On the morning of June 11, 2020, passed away at the age of 83.

Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm, the blogger, poet, and translator, was born in 1971 in Phu Nhuan, Saigon, Vietnam. The pharmacist currently lives and works in Western Sydney, Australia.