the vigour of an ancient tree

A poem in Vietnamese by Nguyễn Man Nhiên
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
Art: Nguyễn Man Nhiên

Quenching my thirst from the full trough

the water birds chirped in crisp laughter

the swelling rain crossed an abandoned land

or did the early sunlight on the lower canopy dance

covered in moss was my soul

I see myself heading for the sky

on the wings of a flock of birds, the peace

I see myself

—

May 2021

tôi uống từ máng đầy

tiếng hót giòn tan của loài chim nước

mưa nở qua vùng đất hoang

hay tia nắng sớm lấp lánh trên đám lá thấp

hồn tôi phủ đầy rêu

tôi thấy tôi vỗ cánh

như một đàn chim thanh bình

tôi thấy tôi

mạnh mẽ như cây cối

…

Nguyễn Man Nhiên, the poet and digital artist who currently lives in Saigon, 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.

the vigour of an ancient tree | Nguyễn Man Nhiên