Hàn Mặc Tử [1912 – 1940] real name Nguyễn Trọng Trí, Christian name is Peter Phanxico, also has pen names Le Thanh, Phong Tran, Minh Due Thi. He was born in Le My village, Dong Loc district, Dong Hoi province (now Quang Binh) in a poor Catholic family, his father died early. As a child, he lived and attended primary school in Quy Nhon, attended high school in Hue, then worked at the Land Survey Department, was fired due to illness. In 1934-1935, he followed Thuc Te to Saigon to work as a journalist (wrote for Cong Luan newspaper, was in charge of the Saigon newspaper’s literary page), then returned to Quy Nhon. In 1936, he contracted leprosy, had to go to Quy Nhon hospital and died there.
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.
SONY ILCE-7SM2 ƒ/321/15200 mmISO200
Photography by Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
A poem in Vietnamese by Hàn Mặc Tử Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
Translator’s note: Gosh, I finally understand the poem after so many years of reading and hearing people quote Hàn Mặc Tử. All he ever wanted to say was: Fuck you, my integrity is not for sale! His way is a lot sweeter than mine.
Moon! O Moon! O the moon is just the moon! I have for sale, what is actually for sale is the moon No membership, no promises(of tomorrow) Upon the order of the emperor come Upon your scholarly literati mastership come home And I will give you what is left of your payment in poetry.
No, No, No! The spirit of the Moon is not for sale. I was joking, and you thought, well now I was telling the truth, are you that stupid: O So Precious is The Moon how could it ever be for sale!
Moon! O Moon! O the moon is just the moon! The moonlight the moonlight is everywhere, it’s forever bright And I’m at the moment praying for my moon A set of Hail Mary on the rosary beads A new Moon is a Moon of Bright Light Moon! O Moon! O the moon is just the moon!
Trăng vàng trăng ngọc
Trăng! Trăng! Trăng! Là Trăng, Trăng Trăng! Ai mua trăng tôi bán trăng cho Không bán đoàn viên, ước hẹn hò… Bao giờ đậu trạng vinh quy đã Anh lại đây tôi thối chữ thơ.
Không, Không, Không! Tôi chẳng bán hồn Trăng. Tôi giả đò chơi, anh tưởng rằng Tôi nói thiệt, là anh dại quá: Trăng Vàng Trăng Ngọc bán sao đang.
Trăng! Trăng! Trăng! Là Trăng, Trăng, Trăng! Trăng sáng trăng sáng khắp mọi nơi Tôi đang cầu nguyện cho trăng tôi Tôi lần cho trăng một tràng chuỗi Trăng mới là Trăng của Rạng Ngời Trăng! Trăng! Trăng! Là Trăng, Trăng, Trăng!
Hàn Mặc Tử [1912 – 1940] real name Nguyễn Trọng Trí, Christian name is Peter Phanxico, also has pen names Le Thanh, Phong Tran, Minh Due Thi. He was born in Le My village, Dong Loc district, Dong Hoi province (now Quang Binh) in a poor Catholic family, his father died early. As a child, he lived and attended primary school in Quy Nhon, attended high school in Hue, then worked at the Land Survey Department, was fired due to illness. In 1934-1935, he followed Thuc Te to Saigon to work as a journalist (wrote for Cong Luan newspaper, was in charge of the Saigon newspaper’s literary page), then returned to Quy Nhon. In 1936, he contracted leprosy, had to go to Quy Nhon hospital and died there.
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 