I love you
She broke her back her knees just for me
She woke at dawn resides at moonrise
She wore worn shoes the St. Vincent tees
At the chook factory her they teased
She broke her back her knees just for thee
Followed her husband from gaol* to here
From her home exiled past distant sea
She held her children the youngest three
She broke her back, her knees can’t you see?
My mother’s life never hers to own
There’s nothing she said she’ll ever need
A shattered body with naught left to please
*Goal – re-education camp
By Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm, translation into Vietnamese by Lê Vĩnh Tài
#songngutaitram
______
Tôi yêu em
Tôi không muốn kéo dài thêm một phút giây nào nữa
Tôi không nhớ thời gian
kệ nó trôi qua
Tôi cũng không nhớ tôi vào ngày mai
Tôi yêu em ngay bây giờ có thể
Một giây nhung nhớ của hai ta có nghĩa là
Thời gian không bao giờ đánh cắp
ý nghĩ về em của tôi
Tôi cũng không mơ về tương lai
Tôi muốn ngay bây giờ
Than ôi ánh sáng phá vỡ tất cả những gì có nghĩa.
_____
I love you
I want no moment to ever last
I shan’t recall the hours that passed
Nor shall remember I tomorrow
I love you now this instance alas
A second of thoughts combined was meant
A time stole never my intent
Nor shall I dream of a future with you
Daylight thievery breaking all that makes sense.
M (Feb 2019)
I love you
The golden light at dawn and dusk
The expanse of lush green meadows
The cool sea breeze on summer days
The sweat on those lovers’ brows
The heat of lovers’ quarrels
The smile of a newborn child
The Adam’s apple the snake
The cover of humanity
The soul, a poet.
I love you
More loyal than any human
A playful heart of a child
The sincerity of a teen
An enthused cheese connoisseur
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 