A poem in Vietnamese by Nguyễn Đức Sơn Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
falling fire by Đinh Trường Chinh
Composing poetry’s no different from chopping wood Saying it out loud might upset quite a few people All you have to do is put on a pair of shorts and bend over So if something happened to fall on you, you could simply flick it off —– April 2022 —
Kinh nghiệm riêng
Mần thơ ôi giống hệt bửa củi Nhưng nói ra nhiều người sẽ tủi Nên mặc quần đùi đứng khom lưng Có gì rớt vô ta dễ phủi
Nguyễn Đức Sơn, the poet was born on November 18, 1937, in Du Khanh village, Thanh Hai district, Ninh Thuan province, originally from Thua Thien Hue. He began writing poetry very early with the pen name Sao Trên Rừng, and other pen names like Sơn Núi. On the morning of June 11, 2020, passed away at the age of 83.
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.
A poem in Vietnamese by Nguyễn Đức Sơn Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
The grave will be cold on my return The sea of our memories shall be embraced by the wind Through the scattered trees the full moon cast its shadow Will you then from this world my love Harvest enough dreams
Tịch mạc
Rồi mai huyệt lạnh anh về Ru nhau gió thổi bốn bề biển xưa Trăng tà đổ bóng cây thưa Mộng trần gian đã hái vừa chưa em
Thơ Nguyễn Đức Sơn
Nguyễn Đức Sơn, the poet was born on November 18, 1937, in Du Khanh village, Thanh Hai district, Ninh Thuan province, originally from Thua Thien Hue. He began writing poetry very early with the pen name Sao Trên Rừng, and other pen names like Sơn Núi. On the morning of June 11, 2020, passed away at the age of 83.
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.
A poem in Vietnamese by Nguyễn Đức Sơn Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
a drop of the blues by Đinh Trường Chinh
Without the devil How could there be a God And that’s a truth of this World No matter how you look at it, it’s all wrong —– April 2022 —
Tất cả đều trật lất
Nếu không có quỷ ma Khó bề thấy được Phật Đó là sự thật của Trái Đất Nhưng nghĩ cho cùng tất cả đều trật lất
thơ Nguyễn Đức Sơn
Nguyễn Đức Sơn, the poet was born on November 18, 1937, in Du Khanh village, Thanh Hai district, Ninh Thuan province, originally from Thua Thien Hue. He began writing poetry very early with the pen name Sao Trên Rừng, and other pen names like Sơn Núi. On the morning of June 11, 2020, passed away at the age of 83.
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.
A poem in Vietnamese by Nguyễn Đức Sơn Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
Grave by Đinh Trường Chinh
If thee were to care for me at all in the next life A ghost in a hole long gone It’s a stretch so take it easy please mate Why would you place your butt on an abandoned grave —– April 2022 —
Nhắn
Đời sau người có thương ta Từ lâu xuống lỗ làm ma mất rồi Đường xa thôi miễn bồi hồi Mả hoang nhảy đại lên ngồi đi cha
Nguyễn Đức Sơn, the poet was born on November 18, 1937, in Du Khanh village, Thanh Hai district, Ninh Thuan province, originally from Thua Thien Hue. He began writing poetry very early with the pen name Sao Trên Rừng, and other pen names like Sơn Núi. On the morning of June 11, 2020, passed away at the age of 83.
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.
A poem in Vietnamese by Nguyễn Đức Sơn Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
Mùa thu by Đinh Trường Chinh
I see life barely as a twenty-year-old Looking back and forth At the heads laden with sorrow ahead Followed by those with undissolved sadness / I see life barely as a twenty-year-old It intrigued me but I couldn’t laugh How you would grow up and get married To then die alone in cold soil / I see life barely as a twenty-year-old Saw the suffocating emptiness across the sky My father and mother, my family, all around me But I was alone / The hesitant steps on a quiet path Across the horizon, the explosion of white clouds My head was low in discerning teardrops I knew then everything would end in sadness / The sea of boredom is vast and wide Washing out the saddest of moments Gosh the sleepless nights discerning the distance The emptiness returning from four corners of the world / I see life barely as a twenty-year-old Sometimes dreaming high Sometimes times sad for far-fetched reasons, not mine Knowing all shall perish, all shall end / To love still when my parents were gone To discern sadness still in yearning But my love will never be constant My apologies to those I love / Yes, my love will never be enough Since everything is nothing but sea bubbles Yes, everything is nothing but bubbles in the sea —– April 2022 —
Bọt nước
Tôi dòm đời khi tuổi sắp hai mươi Nhìn trước nhìn sau thấy rõ ràng Những người đi trước sầu đeo nặng Những người đi sau sầu không tan / Tôi dòm đời khi tuổi sắp hai mươi Thấy hay hay nhưng làm sao cười Như chuyện lớn lên rồi có vợ Cuối đời về đất lạnh nằm xuôi / Tôi dòm đời khi tuổi sắp hai mươi Thấy vắng tan hoang ngụt đất trời Cha mẹ anh em còn đông đủ Mình tôi sao mối sầu không nguôi / Ngập ngừng chân bước con đường vắng Mây trắng bay lên oà đất trời Tôi cúi đầu nghe mình nhỏ lệ Biết chuyện gì rồi cũng buồn thôi / Rộng biển trời ơi cái chán chường Nhạt phèo cả những mối sầu vương Ôi từng đêm thức nghe xa vắng Về ngập trong hồn tự bốn phương / Tôi dòm đời khi tuổi sắp hai mươi Đôi lúc còn mơ chuyện trên trời Đôi lúc còn buồn chuyện xa xôi Khi biết trước sẽ lui về huỷ diệt / Vẫn biết thương nếu cha mẹ chết Vẫn thấy sầu khi nhớ người yêu Nhưng tình tôi thì vẫn không đều Biết sao được hỡi người tôi mến / Vâng tình tôi thì cũng không nhiều Coi tất cả chỉ là bọt nước Vâng tất cả chỉ là bọt nước.
Thơ Nguyễn Đức Sơn
Nguyễn Đức Sơn, the poet was born on November 18, 1937, in Du Khanh village, Thanh Hai district, Ninh Thuan province, originally from Thua Thien Hue. He began writing poetry very early with the pen name Sao Trên Rừng, and other pen names like Sơn Núi. On the morning of June 11, 2020, passed away at the age of 83.
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.
A poem in Vietnamese by Nguyễn Đức Sơn Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
Saigon summer 2022 Việt Nam. Photography by Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
One day of suffering ripened within me So I went to the tree and sat down quietly The durian tree dropped its fruit on the resting water The surface of the lake shattered in drifting stars
Come on darling, in the thousand years that had passed by In the moon’s shadow always is my soul The sky was born that very afternoon so I may See the forest clouds flying far far away — July 2022 _
Tôi thấy mây rừng
Một ngày đau khổ chín trong tôi Tôi đến bên cây lẳng lặng ngồi Cây thả trái sầu trên nước lắng Mặt hồ tan vỡ ánh sao trôi
Thôi nhé ngàn năm em đi qua Hồn tôi cô tịch bóng trăng tà Trời sinh ra để chiều hôm đó Tôi thấy mây rừng bay rất xa
Thơ Nguyễn Đức Sơn
Nguyễn Đức Sơn, the poet was born on November 18, 1937, in Du Khanh village, Thanh Hai district, Ninh Thuan province, originally from Thua Thien Hue. He began writing poetry very early with the pen name Sao Trên Rừng, and other pen names like Sơn Núi. On the morning of June 11, 2020, passed away at the age of 83.
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.
A poem in Vietnamese by Nguyễn Đức Sơn Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
Thiếu nữ mùa thu by Đinh Trường Chinh
Girls, you see They’ll sit and pee On The World to then Never be seen again —– April 2022 —
Tôi thấy
Con gáiNgồi đáiTrên Trái ĐấtRồi đi đâu mất
thơ Nguyễn Đức Sơn
Nguyễn Đức Sơn, the poet was born on November 18, 1937, in Du Khanh village, Thanh Hai district, Ninh Thuan province, originally from Thua Thien Hue. He began writing poetry very early with the pen name Sao Trên Rừng, and other pen names like Sơn Núi. On the morning of June 11, 2020, passed away at the age of 83.
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.
A poem in Vietnamese by Nguyễn Đức Sơn Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
Starbuck by Đinh Trường Chinh
Yeah, something like that Nearly sixty Writing poetry like a twenty year old A mystic mountain surrounded by orangutans I’ve been searching for people all day Your hair was light in the breeze that time The abandoned hut lay there dreaming of two hands pulling down its pants —– April 2022 —
Ừ, vậy đó
Đã gần sáu chục tuổi rồi Làm thơ trắc nết như hồi hai mươi Núi thần vây bủa đười ươi Lang thang tôi kiếm con người hôm nay Gặp em thuở tóc đang bay Chòi hoang nằm mộng hai tay tuột quần
thơ Nguyễn Đức Sơn
Nguyễn Đức Sơn, the poet was born on November 18, 1937, in Du Khanh village, Thanh Hai district, Ninh Thuan province, originally from Thua Thien Hue. He began writing poetry very early with the pen name Sao Trên Rừng, and other pen names like Sơn Núi. On the morning of June 11, 2020, passed away at the age of 83.
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 