A poem in Vietnamese by Lê Vĩnh Tài
A poem by Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
LỜI:
bạn là cô gái
kể một câu chuyện
với hàng ngàn lời nói dối
bạn là cô gái, một thiên thần
từ thiên đường xuống trái đất
chưa bao giờ tôi học được bài học chuyển ngữ của mình
giá như khi đó anh biết
em là một bài học về tình yêu
thì, anh đã học chăm chỉ hơn
REFRAIN:
How O thou art or any being love
tis the essence within thy heart
from which I have learned to love
tis from within thy text in volumes
spills the secret of thy loving
upon thou art desire I am humbled
speak not the truth in which evil ears
may or may heed naught
there indeed lies my yearning
tis out of reach as star be across the sky
in Auden’s words thou art more brilliant than any star
oh soft genteel mind
always kind
thy intentions bestowed thus
though within kindness be
thou art shatter us not once or twice
but in innumerable shards
shimmering teardrops across the sky
Us be in adoration
thy minion in this life and the next
I am methinks a speck of dust
in thy eye
—
March 2023
___
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.
Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm 
“a speck of dust
in thy eye“
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
LikeLiked by 4 people
Thank you, I find New English fascinating once I somewhat grasp its meaning. Thank you again for reading both of our work. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s been a pleasure. My command of English is very poor. My language is Catalan. I have to help myself with automatic translators to read their beautiful texts and to write these notes. I came to his texts attracted by the creative images with which they accompany them.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ah, my sketches, you are doing a great job, thank you for putting in so much work. You have left me speechless. Learning my mother’s tongue has been an incredible journey. I am very fortunate you have you kind sir, on part of the way back to my origin. Much love. Tram.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Đó là một niềm vui đã liên lạc với bạn.
LikeLiked by 2 people
m’has tocat molt, gràcies
LikeLiked by 2 people
Bạn cũng vậy. Tạm biệt.
LikeLiked by 2 people
🩵
LikeLiked by 1 person