A poem in Vietnamese by Lê Vĩnh Tài
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

deliriously obsessed were the yellow flowers
the stars cried because of the disgusting way I fell in love with you
you were caught red-handed in daylight
a January kiss, in a dream covered in cigarette smoke
–
no one had the nerve to kiss you
you’re left alone burning and smoking like a tobacco pipe
stuck in a room
full of smoke
–
some say you’re a genius
they pulled out from the right to love you
some say that it’s bullshit you’re a genius
they inserted themselves to enable your return
as they cried and tripped all over each other
–
it’s absolutely disgusting but I loved you still
long after they were dead and gone
and you’re still around somewhere
amongst the people
—
FEBRUARY 2022
_____
những bông hoa màu vàng mê sảng
những ngôi sao khóc vì cái cách khủng khiếp mà tôi đã yêu bạn
trong ánh sáng bạn bị bắt gặp quả tang
trong nụ hôn tháng giêng và giấc mơ toàn mùi thuốc lá
–
không ai dám hôn bạn
để bạn một mình bị cháy như cái tẩu
và bị mắc kẹt trong một căn phòng
toàn khói
–
cũng có người nói bạn là một nhân tài
họ rút ra để dành quyền yêu bạn
cũng có người nói nhân tài cái cc
họ đút vào để bạn trở về
với bọn họ vẫn đang khóc và thay nhau gục ngã
–
thật khủng khiếp nhưng tôi vẫn yêu bạn
rất lâu sau khi bọn họ chết
và bạn vẫn còn lê lết
với nhân dân
Lê Vĩnh Tài, the poet and translator born in 1966 in Buon Ma Thuot, Daklak, Vietnam. The retired doctor is still a resident of the Western Highlands and a businessman in Buon Ma Thuot.
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.
Wow…😕💕💕💕
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Hi, life, kinda sucks sometimes.. I hope your week will be a good week. 🙂
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Indeed 😕💕 I hope you have a good week too 🙂
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This poem seems to be expressing an extreme case of disappointment; something I never feel when I visit your site 😄🙂💞💞
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Thank you kind sir, I laughed out loud. Its has been such a bland day 🙃
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😂💞🤗💙 you are very welcome. It’s a blessing to hear how it made you feel my friend 🫶😄
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