A poem in Vietnamese by Nguyễn Viện
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

the sand is hot
thorns popping out of the ground
all around
your feet
your head buried
in the wind ignored
the demons digging around inside your blood vessels
as the swarm of flies pull you down
an emptiness

precarious by the day
your footing on the sand
hot with a bloodless heart
try to stop yourself from disappearing
between the urges of the soul and blind obsession

where I could never be
your fingers falling apart each time you try to hold onto what is sweet
your heels slipping on the same old thing
where I will never know
where all hope is lost

and then you would ask for help with just
the one question: “How are you?”

NƠI EM VỀ

Cát nóng và gai nhọn mọc quanh bàn chân
Em úp mặt vào gió và mặc cho bọn quỉ bươi móc trong huyết quản
Trong lúc lũ ruồi kéo em xuống
Một khoảng trống

Càng lúc càng mong manh
Nhưng làm thế nào để em đứng vững giữa cát nóng với một trái tim khô
Làm thế nào để em đừng tan ra giữa sự thôi thúc của linh hồn và sự ám ảnh mù mịt

Nơi anh không thể tới
Những ngón tay em đứt rời khi bám vào sự ngọt ngào
Những ngón chân em trơn trượt trên những cái cũ mèm không thể gỡ bỏ
Nơi anh không biết
Đã mất hút niềm hy vọng

Và rồi em cầu cứu
Chỉ với một câu hỏi: “Anh khoẻ không?”

5.4.2009

Sông Hương, Huế, Việt Nam Winter 2025. Photography Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

Nguyễn Viện, born Nguyễn Văn Viện, on February 1, 1949 in Dong Xa, Hai Duong, is a journalist and writer, self-published author, on noteworthy subjects like sex and politics, listed by RFA as Resistance Literature. Currently living and writing 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.

12 responses

WHERE YOU ARE HOME | Nguyễn Viện – Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm | Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News

Dec 10, 2025

[…] Source: WHERE YOU ARE HOME | Nguyễn Viện – Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm […]

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.Killa.

Dec 10, 2025

Great read, and your translation was top notch 💯✍️🫡

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1. Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
  
  Dec 11, 2025
  
  I will pass it on, let Viện know how great I am heheh.. AI can’t replace me yet.. :))
  
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  1. .Killa.
    
    Dec 12, 2025
    
    Haha, you’ll never be replaced with A.I 😃😆. At best, you’re most likely to make A.I better, just like you do with everything else💌🌹
    
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  2. Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
    
    Dec 12, 2025
    
    awe you sweet talker you, but you’re not wrong :))
    
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  3. .Killa.
    
    Dec 12, 2025
    
    😆 I am honored that my sentiments align with your precious reality 🤗😇💫
    
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  4. Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
    
    Dec 12, 2025
    
    there is definitely some kind of alignment in the universe. recently Ocean Vuong shared a sentiment in a podcast, something like how warfare should be bigger, the bigger the better and yet in contrast when it comes to art and literature the artist and writer is reminded over and over again on how to stay subdued and humble. I find it too is an odd thing, against my nature. I try my best to be a realist, being real is a vulnerability I find most at home. It affords me the vernacular as necessary as breathing. and yet I am told time and again not to be so naive. I find it odd having to hide one’s inability, how then would one ask for help, and the opposite applies, to hide one skill, then how could one’s skill be of use? now see you my conundrum right? :))
    
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  5. .Killa.
    
    Dec 13, 2025
    
    Very interesting perceptive my dear 💙😇💌👍.
    
    Yes there is no doubt that you are a realist and I am happy that this is where you’d rather be. It’s unhealthy to lie to ourselves and to fool ourselves which I know goes against your passion of being a translator who strives to get people closer to the meaning and the essence of things and clearly fits within your standards of upholding virtues that speaks volumes with the vernacular that you cherish to be as necessary as breathing 🤗🤗💙.
    
    I get your conundrum, it’s like a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation, having to hide inabilities on one hand which doesn’t help us to develop or reach our potential, and then on the other hand where if you hide a skill, it’s not going to be of any use 😅😅. The thing is, you can’t please everyone and what matters most is that you do the best you can, while maintain your integrity and dignity, an approach that will help give a taste of inspiration, rather than falling in-line with the groupings of some folk’s unrealistic expectations 🥰🫶
    
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  6. Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
    
    Dec 13, 2025
    
    Heheh, I knew you would under me. Thank you my friend 🍻😘
    
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  7. .Killa.
    
    Dec 13, 2025
    
    Of course, my pleasure as always babe 🍻😹😍💐
    
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Dawn Pisturino

Dec 11, 2025

I love the imagery!

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1. Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
  
  Dec 11, 2025
  
  Thank you, Viện will be very happy that you have hear that. I will let him know.. 🥰
  
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