A poem in Vietnamese by Bạch Diệp
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

AN AFTERNOON AT THE END OF THE WEEK
Picking up the pieces of the afternoon
Tucking them away inside a draw
Includes you too, dear
A wistful thorn
/
April is as unsteady as a drunk as oblivious as those unaware
The streets, crown land scattered with geranium
/
Draped quietly across the lawn
In strokes of gorse and canvas
Roses and Jack London on a wooden shelf
/
I was reminded of the things we did, and shouldn’t have done.
—–
April 2022
—
CHIỀU CUỐI TUẦN
Nhặt những câu chuyện của chiều
Cho vào ngăn kéo
Cả anh nữa
Chiếc gai đăm chiêu
/
Tháng Tư đi như người say nói như người ngây
Phố là điền trang nở đầy hoa phong lữ
/
Rũ những vạt âm thầm trên cỏ
Bằng nét cọ kim tước và toan
Đặt lên kệ gỗ hoa hồng ngài Jack London
/
Em nhớ chúng ta đã làm điều không muốn.
BD 11.04.2022
Bạch Diệp, the poet and artist lives in Hue, Vietnam.
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.
Great poem; I was intrigued by the concept and the message 👍🙂. Your translations are sharp and super helpful as usual 🙌🙌😆
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Thank you I think, I feel some what a rather sarcastic undertone in your compliment, though it could simply reflect my mood around Christmas with adult children.. 🙂
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Hahaha, I see what you mean 🤭🤭😄. I think it may have been the choice of emoji that gave the impression of a sarcastic undertone. But I am definitely not sarcastic about the fact that it is a great poem and I am definitely not sarcastic about the helpfulness of your translations 👍💯😄😄.
I am not a sarcastic person; as a matter of fact, it’s within my nature to be very sincere and being positive and cheerful is just part of my personality lol
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:)) you kill me, I am on the other hand 100% sarcastic lol.. you should just take everything I say with a pinch of salt to enhance the umami 🙂
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🤣🤣 I accept you as you are and will take your advice into consideration and I will continue to support you and compliment your work with positive and encouraging input just like I always have 👍😄☺️💕
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❤ Thank you 🙂
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🤩💕 awwww, you are very welcome ☺️🤗💙💙.
I wish you and yours a marvelously Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 🎉⭐🎄🎇🥰😘.
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likewise, all the best for the new year
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You are incredible💕💕✌️🙂. Thank you so much, and I hope that 2⃣0⃣2⃣3⃣ will be a phenomenal year for you👍👍😂
And remember, I never think that you are sarcastic, only that there are moments when you are drunk haha 😆
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Ha ha, sarcasm is an art yeah. 🙂
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“Ha ha, sarcasm is an art yeah. 🙂”
LOL you make it look like an art 😂🤩💕💕
Sorry for responding to this so late 🤭☺️🌹. I hope you’re well my friend 👍😄
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No worries, I can’t remember what we’re talking about 🙂
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🤭🤭😄 Sounds like you had a great Christmas 🤣🤣
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What Christmas, ha ha. 🙂
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“What Christmas, ha ha. 🙂”
Christmas of 2022 😃😂. The one you forgot because you were tipsy 🤭💙😁
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heheh, you got me. 😉
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I definitely hope I got you 😂🤣. I will not release my grip 🤭😁
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ha ha, very funny. :))
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Your precious delight makes me beam with happiness 🤟😂
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Cheeky
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Hahaha you are sarcastic and I am cheeky — match made in heaven ✌️🙌😂💘
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❤
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🙌💞😄
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Happy New Year and above all good health to you and your whole family. Peace, justice, love and freedom for all oppressed peoples. Friendly kisses from Auvergne (France). ❤
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thanks you, likewise, we all need a little more luck coming out of Covid.. Blessings to you and your family ❤
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