A poem in Vietnamese by Đặng Tiến
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
Art: Đinh Trường Chinh
We’re all born with the right to equality
Within the sacrosanct
Sacred right is the right to be an IMBECILE
A bit dumb is a Minor Imbecile
Very dumb is a Major Imbecile
Dumb for a lifetime
Dumb for twice the lifetime
Dumb for triple the lifetime
Dumb for an endless lifetime
A steadfast and consistent imbecile
An enthusiastic imbecile, a leader
Trending dumbness stepping from the front door
Down the highway across town returning home soundly dumb
Brainless thoughts
Mindless talks
A fool
The epitome of a fool
A fool jumping up and down all over the front page
In an uproar on the evening news
A fool with a title
A fool with a degree
A fool who dines with the like of royalty and leaders of countries
A fool who can justify black is white
And white is black
What’s wrong is right
And what’s right is wrong
The sustainable ignorance consistent in men and women, young and old
Ignorant from one generation to the next
*
The right to be an imbecile
Sacrosanct
Baiting the ants
For the sudden fame
Ignorance beyond ignorance
Indiscriminately ignorant
Overwhelmingly dumb…
—
July 2022
_
BÀI THƠ VỀ QUYỀN ĐƯỢC NGU
Tất cả mọi người đều sinh ra có quyền bình đẳng…
Trong những quyền thiêng liêng bất khả xâm phạm
Ấy là quyền được NGU
Ngu ít là Tiểu Ngu
Ngu nhiều là Đại Ngu
Ngu một đời
Ngu hai đời
Ngu ba đời
Ngu ngàn đời
Ngu ổn định và bền vững
Ngu hết phần thiên hạ
Ngu từ trong cửa ngu ra
Ngu từ ngã bảy ngã ba ngu về
Nghĩ ngu
Nói ngu
Làm ngu
Ngu như không thể ngu hơn
Ngu nhảy lên mặt báo
Ngu nhảy lên truyền hình
Ngu có danh xưng
Ngu có bằng sắc
Vua biết mặt và chúa biết tên
Ngu nói xuôi thành ngược
Ngu nói ngược thành xuôi
Ngu nói sai thành đúng
Ngu nói đúng thành sai
Ngu lâu dốt bền nam phụ lão ấu
Ngu chất chồng ông cha con cháu
*
Quyền được ngu
Bất khả xâm phạm
Tự bôi mỡ dụ kiến
Và bất ngờ nổi tiếng
Ngu ơi là ngu
Ngu vãi chưởng
Ngu ngất ngưởng…
Đặng Tiến, the poet born in 1961 is a retired lecturer, who currently lives in Thái Nguyên, 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.
Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm 
I reserve the right to make an absolute fool of myself in the presence of Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm in hopes that you will get a kick out of it 🤭😂😂
I agree with the points of the poem. We all deserve to be ourselves and “have our own minds” so to speak, without being harassed or unfairly treated regardless of how we come off, granted there are consequences for actions but if it’s not really causing any harm I think respect goes a long way for a civil standpoint 👍😄💙💙.
I also like the artwork, it is very unique; I don’t think that I have seen this style before except for on your blog. It really adds a great touch to the poems lol 🤟💯💯
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Oh? Cool! I will pass on your delight to the artist. You are a very wise young human, being a fool helps us see truths one would never have been able to see otherwise. But, sometime the embarrassment is rather traumatising. :))
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Thank you so much for passing on my sentiment to the artist. I appreciate that greatly and I adore your compliment 💕💕😄. What you said resonates with me very well and I couldn’t agree more; we can definitely learn alot about life if we fool around enough 🤭😆.
But you are also right that we can learn the hard way if we end up pushing it too far haha. Sorry for the late response my friend 🥰🥰
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waiting for you are the small moments of joy, cheer 🙂
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Hahaha, awww super sweet. You ROCK 💕😄🤩
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heheh, I think I have way too many midday alcoholic beverages..
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🤣🤣 yes but you are still able to translate like a legend, which proves it doesn’t seem to have any effect 🤭😁😁
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O, does that mean, I’m getting better at it? 🙂
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You always get better even when you seem perfect 😃🤟. That’s because “Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm” is your middle name 🤣🤣.
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ha ha, you sweet talker, thank you. 🙂
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🤣🤭 LOL you are welcome, I am glad you liked it 😄💕💕
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love
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Same here 🤟🥰😄
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