A poem in Vietnamese by Nguyễn Quý
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
The panel voted for the man
The poet didn’t welcome the gain
And so, the shit hit the fan
Just another day in this country.
Long long ago, there was another poet
Like the other man, he finished first
On his way to receive his tall award
He was snatched and bashed like dirt.
(Gosh the mirth)
Writing poetry I thought it’s rather nice
Poets I thought were rather, well, monk-like
And poems were thrills and frills
Yet there are those in it, just for the kill.
—
February 2024
—
Hội đồng xét trao giải
Nhà thơ không dám nhận
Rồi tranh cãi bùng lên
Chuyện chẳng lạ nước mình.
Năm xưa có nhà thơ
Cũng đạt giải to đùng
Trên đường đi nhận giải
Bị chặn đánh toe mồm.
Làm thơ tưởng nhẹ tênh
Nhà thơ như thầy tu
Làm thơ như tô điểm
Vậy mà thật nguy hiểm.
Nguyễn Quý, the poet is currently an electrician in Ban Me Thuot, 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 