Văn Học Ngoại Biên — Literature Beyond

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[five years through the pandemic]

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

Tôi đến với đám đông tìm kiếm bạn bè
Tôi đến với đám đông tìm kiếm tình yêu

Tôi đến đám đông để khóc lóc
Tôi đến đám đông để cười

Bạn lau khô nước mắt

Tôi đã đi từ đám đông tìm kiếm bạn
Tôi đã đi từ đám đông tìm kiếm tôi

Tôi đã đi từ đám đông tìm kiếm mãi mãi
Cuối cùng bạn cũng đến
Từ khu cách ly…

I’m looking for a friend in the crowd
I’m looking for love in the crowd

I’m in the crowd crying
I’m in the crowd laughing

You wiping away the tears

I came from the crowd looking for you
I came from the crowd looking for myself

I came from the crowd looking endlessly
In the end, you came
Out, from isolation


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.

8 responses

  1. Ishika Tiwari avatar

    Love the language and the poem. You penned. Hearty sendoffs

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm avatar

      And a warm thank you so much right back at you my friend.

      Like

  2. mistermaxxx08 avatar

    Very warm and soulful and needed

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm avatar

      I just can’t believe it has been 5 years..

      Liked by 1 person

      1. mistermaxxx08 avatar

        It’s still gonna be with us for life, keep my mask on

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm avatar

        mask on into 2025 .. Cheers!

        Liked by 1 person

      3. mistermaxxx08 avatar

        For life, this is for life

        Liked by 1 person

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