A poem in Vietnamese by Nguyễn Văn Gia
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
Photography: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

ƒ/2.81/160035 mmISO160
Oblivious
at the side of the road
Wildflowers
its own scent
Faintly there
and not
there at all
In the morning breeze
evening dew
–
Matters not
the summer light
winter rain
Obstinate
against adversity
Not because of this
nor that
Flower for no reason at all
–
Quietly
– just quietly
The poor things in bunches
Relying on others
Living off other people
–
Not lucky enough
to be troubled
Why be burdened
with a name
A sincere heart
– the light private scent
A gift for the brilliant blue sky.
_____
JANUARY 2022
HOA DẠI
–
Ngơ ngác
bên vệ đường
Hoa dại
hương rất riêng
Thoảng
như không
như có
Trong gió sớm
chiều sương
–
Mặc nắng hạ
mưa đông
Lầm lì
trong gian khó
Chẳng vì này
vì nọ
Khơi khơi
hoa trổ bông
–
Thầm lặng –
thầm lặng thôi
Thương ơi
hoa chùm gởi
Thân nương vào kẻ khác
Sống còn
nhờ dựa hơi
–
Không mảy may
ưu phiền
Danh phận
chi thêm mệt
Tâm thành
– chút hương riêng
Gởi trời cao
xanh biếc.
_____
Nguyễn Văn Gia

Nguyễn Văn Gia, the poet and facebooker is a retired English professor who currently lives in Danang, 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.
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