Why is there such a rush and fuss to fall apart | Nguyễn Văn Gia

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

Barely a mile
Looking back at one’s life
The sunset is like a mere full stop
/
Barely together and already falling apart
Barely a wave and we’re grey
The sadness barely gone and the glass is already empty
/
The endless dusk
Fluttering sunlight
Why is autumn in such a rush?
/
What are we waiting for
Lost track of the golden crane of long ago
Across the land the desolation
/
Not many miles left
Some have left, some stay
Tears like the dew
/
There’s no rush to fall apart
There’s no rush for such adventures
With barely enough time to say goodbye
/
Barely a mile
Looking back it’s the end of a lifetime…

May 2022
—–

VỘI CHI

NHỮNG TÀN PHAI

Chưa đi bao nhiêu dặm
Ngoảnh lại hết một đời
Hoàng hôn như dấu lặng
/
Chưa hợp đã vội tan
Sóng chưa kịp bạc đầu
Sầu chưa vơi ly cạn
/
Chiều đi chiều đi mãi
Vạt nắng phất phơ bay
Phải mùa thu đang vội?
/
Thôi còn chi mong chờ
Hạc vàng xưa mất dấu
Hoang vu khắp bãi bờ
/
Chẳng còn bao dặm đường
Mà người đi, kẻ ở
Mắt lệ nhòa như sương
/
Vội chi những tàn phai
Vội chi hỡi phiêu dạt
Không kịp lời chia tay
/
Chưa đi bao nhiêu dặm
Ngó lại hết một đời…


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.

Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm's avatar

By Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

There's magic in translating a body of work from one language to another.

4 comments

  1. Beautiful and I can not relate to the writer’s experience per say but I often feel the same way.

    “What are we waiting for

    Lost track of the golden crane of long ago

    Across the land the desolation”

    Beautiful piece. Thank you Trâm. 🦋❤️

    Liked by 1 person

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