
A poem in Vietnamese by Nguyễn Văn Gia
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
Photography: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
WAR – CHIẾN TRANH
An unhealed wound
The arguments, explanations
The dead are… dead
More talk, more pain.
—
Vết thương cũ chưa lành
Lại tranh cãi, thanh minh
Người chết thì đã… chết
Càng nhắc càng đau lòng.
SPIN DOCTOR/TÀ BÚT
Waving the pen like a sword
Heads will roll
Time disjoined & talent
Unable to grasp the idea of indiscretion
—
Múa bút tựa khoa đao
Cũng đầu rơi máu chảy
Thời gian vốn rạch ròi
Tài không dung được tội.
A MEETING/HỌP
The listener: a deaf guy
The speaker: a dumb dude
But both are fully aware that
They’re talking about nothing at all.
—
Người nghe: một anh điếc
Người nói: một gã câm
Nhưng cả hai đều biết
Đang bàn cái-trống-không.
FRUIT & FLOWERS/HOA & TRÁI
Teach children about love
A lesson in humanity
Teach children about hate
The seeding of corruption.
—
Dạy trẻ biết yêu thương
Là dạy cách làm người
Dạy trẻ lòng căm thù
Là gieo mầm tai ương.
SECRETS/BÍ MẬT
A person’s shadow
A clear reflection of joy and sadness
The shadow there is darkness
Only one would know.
—
Cái bóng của mỗi người
Soi rõ những buồn vui
Bóng kia là góc tối
Chỉ riêng mình biết thôi.
THE WEED/CỎ DẠI
The weed in our garden
We could easily weed them all out
The weed in our heart
There’s no end to them.
—
Cỏ dại trong vườn nhà
Ta dễ dàng nhổ hết
Cỏ dại trong lòng ta
Chẳng làm sao tận diệt.

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.
Did you draw your profile picture? It’s beautiful! So artistic. 🎨
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No, my friend did, most of his art are here, throughout the blog. 🙂
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👏👋
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thank you, ❤
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🌹🌈
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Reblogged this on johncoyote and commented:
Powerful and worthwhile poetry shared.
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Dear Nguyễn. The poetry are outstanding.
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Thank you, my friend, I hope you have a lovely weekend.
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I hope you have a lovely evening also dear Nguyễn. You are welcome.
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