Tag: philosophy

Still husband material? | Lý Đợi [1]

Nhà thơ Lý Đợi (Ảnh: Họa sĩ Phạm An Hải)

poem by Lý Đợi
translation by Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

a woman with money
three time divorced
looking for a guy as advertised
with a set with criteria:
single
who will never be a brute
who will never abandon a lady
…
who can fuck.

one autumn morning
the cypress door bell rang
and there outside the door was a monk
both his hands tied
there because of the ad in the classified
and she was surprised
and unsettled
because there indeed was a dick

the man took his time said:
as you can see… I’m single
and can’t in any way hurt you [hands tied]…

but how will you perform your task well she sighed
hold on to your dick, be that guy
confined?

I guarantee you it’s not blind
how else did you think I rang the bell on that cypress door!
[and what else am I supposed to do with the hand grenade in my tights? He implored]

Vẫn làm chồng tốt?


Một người đàn bà giàu sụ,
đã ba lần ly dị,
có đăng báo tìm cu
với các tiêu chuẩn:
Độc thân,
Không có thói vũ phu,
Không rời bỏ mệnh phụ
Và…
Biết đụ.

Vào buổi sáng mùa thu
chuông reo ngoài cửa pơ-mu
hoá ra một thầy tu
hai tay cột chặt
đến vì mẩu rao vặt
người đàn bà ngạc nhiên
và dằn vặt
vì đây đúng là một ngữ cặc

Người đàn ông đó thong thả nói:
cô thấy đấy… tôi đang độc thân
và không thể đánh cô được [vì tay trói]…

Nhưng anh làm sao có thể thực hiện tốt nhiệm vụ
của một người cầm cu
trong tư thế lao tù?

Đảm bảo với cô là nó không mù
Thế cô nghĩ tôi bấm chuông bằng gì khi đứng trước cửa pơ-mu!
[cũng như tôi phải làm gì với quả lựu đạn chày trong túi quần mùa thu?]

[chuyên đề TÌNH YÊU VÀ TÌNH DỤC TRONG VĂN CHƯƠNG]

Lý Đợi (1979), Born in 1978 in Khuc Luy village, Dien Minh commune, Dien Ban district, Quang Nam province. Bachelor of Literature, 2001. As of 2008, after five years of writing, he had published three solo works and approximately twenty-five collaborative works in Vietnam and abroad. His poetry and translated poems have also appeared in several literary magazines and websites in Vietnamese and English. He has also participated in poetry performances, presentations, documentary films, workshops, and exhibitions at the Goethe Institute in Korea, China, Germany, and Vietnam. A key member of the Open Mouth group, which includes Bùi Chát, Khúc Duy, Nguyễn Quán, Lý Đợi and others. He co-initiated and promoted the photocopied work printing movement in Vietnam. He co-founded the Paper Scraps Publishing House. He currently lives in Saigon and works as a journalist.

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.

LÝ ĐỢI

Nhà thơ Lý Đợi (Ảnh: Họa sĩ Phạm An Hải)

in Vietnamese by Lý Đợi
translation by Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

[chuyên đề  TÌNH YÊU VÀ TÌNH DỤC TRONG VĂN CHƯƠNG]

Lý Đợi (1979), Born in 1978 in Khuc Luy village, Dien Minh commune, Dien Ban district, Quang Nam province. Bachelor of Literature, 2001. As of 2008, after five years of writing, he had published three solo works and approximately twenty-five collaborative works in Vietnam and abroad. His poetry and translated poems have also appeared in several literary magazines and websites in Vietnamese and English. He has also participated in poetry performances, presentations, documentary films, workshops, and exhibitions at the Goethe Institute in Korea, China, Germany, and Vietnam. A key member of the Open Mouth group, which includes Bùi Chát, Khúc Duy, Nguyễn Quán, Lý Đợi and others. He co-initiated and promoted the photocopied work printing movement in Vietnam. He co-founded the Paper Scraps Publishing House. He currently lives in Saigon and works as a journalist.

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.

BROKEN | Hoàng Xuân Sơn

Mèo đói, tranh by Đinh Trường Chinh

thơ Hoàng Xuân Sơn
người dịch Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

You are chipped
allow me the kintsugi
if not then
since fire is ash

In all the rhythm
exausting tonality
tone down how the out
of breath larghissimo

As I run into a river
to where what landing
no jetty
just beached

If I could fix
the blue beads
agate bracelet
piece together such a love

Because smoke is the mist
over reaction and careless decisions
no self preservation
dig one’s own hole

The prison is you baby
inside or out you are dead
since what is hard is actually soft
in life we will definitely lose

Which part are you missing
I have lost everything
the afternoon is bustling
because the night is beseeching

BROKEN

[ v ụ n v ỡ ]

Bạn sứt miếng nào
để tôi hàn cho
nếu không gắn được
vì lửa là tro

Trong muôn tiết tấu
âm điệu rã rời
làm sao vặn lại
ốc nhạc mòn hơi

Chảy tôi thành dòng
phương chi gượng lại
tấp một bờ không
vì bến là bãi

Nếu tôi chữa được
những hạt cườm xanh
chiếc vòng mã não
tình yêu đoạn đành

Vì sương là khói
hoảng hốt già lam
chắc gì thân xót
một nỗi giam cầm

Ngục cấm là em
Trong ngoài cũng chết
Vì cứng là mềm
Của đời thua thiệt

Bạn thiếu khúc nào
Tôi mất tất cả
Buổi chiều lao xao
Vì đêm giục giã
•
h o à n g x u â n s ơ n
20 tháng 5, 2025

Hoàng Xuân Sơn 

A renowned poet, born 1942, writes under various pseudonyms: Hoàng Xuân Sơn, Sử Mặc, Hoàng Hà Tỉnh, Vô Ðịnh… 

Hometown: Vỹ Dạ, Huế.

Lý Thường Kiệt Primary  

Bán Công High School and Quốc Học Huế High School

Bachelor of philosophy, and postgraduate of political science and commerce at The university of Văn Khoa Sài Gòn. 

Worked at the Ministry of Transport and Communication, a branch of the General Department of Postal Service of the Republic of Vietnam.

After 1975 worked in the Postal Office for 7 years. December 1981 settled in Montreal, Canada.

The poet’s career span from 1970 to the present day his work has been published in many literary publications. In vietnam: Văn, Chính Văn, Diễn  Ðàn, Khởi Hành, Nghiên Cứu Văn Học, Ðối Diện, Thân Hữu, Xây Dựng Nông Thôn, Ngưỡng Cửa, Nhà Văn. Outside of Vietnam: Làng Văn, Văn Học, Văn, Thế Kỷ 21, Chủ Ðề,  Sóng, Sóng Văn, Nắng Mới, Saigon Times, Hợp Lưu, Phố Văn,  Gío Văn , Canh Tân, Ði Tới, tạp chí Thơ. 

Collaborating platforms: Litviet (U.S.A), Tienve (Australia), Vanchuongviet… and the translations of his poetry into English by Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm on SONGNGUTAITRAM.

Published work:

Viễn Phố (thơ, Việt Chiến xb 1988)

Huế Buồn Chi (thơ,93)

Lục Bát (thơ, 2005)

Ref: vanchuongviet.org

–

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.

HUMAN NATURE | Hoàng Xuân Sơn

Lê Vĩnh Tài, Lý Đợi, Bùi Chát , Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

A poem in Vietnamese by Hoàng Xuân Sơn
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

spit garbage, say whatever you want to say
drunk or not we have but one life, we bleed
we dig our furrows we plant our seeds
may it be dusk or dawn we do not heed

we couldn’t sleep. we got up. we peed
no one can stop you from breaking confidence
O la la looming! like Sony Hoang or not
just note this. and I’ll leave it at that

if you are Lý Đợi, đợi = wait, then wait & savour
the wine. (Bùi = nutty) more than (Chát = sour)
nothing is left to add by the master
Lê Vĩnh Tài pee or not still, the cower

NHÂN BANG

( gợi ý từ một tút của Phương Trâm)

Cứ lải nhải đi ta không say
Đời chỉ cho ta một luống cày
Xới đất. hay là nằm xuống ngủ
Mặc bình minh lên với cỏ cây

Không ngủ. Ta cần đi giải thủy
Kìa ai trưng biển cấm đướng đài
Ô là là ! ai như sơn núi
Nháp xong. ôm bài thơ chạy dài

Đã là lý đợi cứ ngồi đợi
Rượu ngọt. sao bùi bảo chát chua
Vô bậy thêm miếng thầy lê vĩnh
Tè không ra được thì chịu thua

)(
dzuidzui@sumake.13avril25

Hoàng Xuân Sơn 

A renowned poet, born 1942, writes under various pseudonyms: Hoàng Xuân Sơn, Sử Mặc, Hoàng Hà Tỉnh, Vô Ðịnh… 

Hometown: Vỹ Dạ, Huế.

Lý Thường Kiệt Primary  

Bán Công High School and Quốc Học Huế High School

Bachelor of philosophy, and postgraduate of political science and commerce at The university of Văn Khoa Sài Gòn. 

Worked at the Ministry of Transport and Communication, a branch of the General Department of Postal Service of the Republic of Vietnam.

After 1975 worked in the Postal Office for 7 years. December 1981 settled in Montreal, Canada.

The poet’s career span from 1970 to the present day his work has been published in many literary publications. In vietnam: Văn, Chính Văn, Diễn  Ðàn, Khởi Hành, Nghiên Cứu Văn Học, Ðối Diện, Thân Hữu, Xây Dựng Nông Thôn, Ngưỡng Cửa, Nhà Văn. Outside of Vietnam: Làng Văn, Văn Học, Văn, Thế Kỷ 21, Chủ Ðề,  Sóng, Sóng Văn, Nắng Mới, Saigon Times, Hợp Lưu, Phố Văn,  Gío Văn , Canh Tân, Ði Tới, tạp chí Thơ. 

Collaborating platforms: Litviet (U.S.A), Tienve (Australia), Vanchuongviet… and the translations of his poetry into English by Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm on SONGNGUTAITRAM.

Published work:

Viễn Phố (thơ, Việt Chiến xb 1988)

Huế Buồn Chi (thơ,93)

Lục Bát (thơ, 2005)

Ref: vanchuongviet.org

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.

say | Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

Em làm bài thơ tình
Thình lình như bài thơ
Em thèm… Sao nhỉ?
Ngủ với anh?

Âm thanh
Nhịp điệu
Kiểu?

Những cánh diều
Tuổi thơ

Ừ em mơ

Mờ ơ mơ
Em mờ ơ

Ừ thì em mơ
Gì cơ?

Có phải là thơ

#vanhocngoaibien #literaturebeyondborder #nguyenthiphuongtram #songngutaitram

Trâm and Brother in law from the UK
Trâm and Brother in law from the UK
Trâm and Brother in law from the UK

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.

What is poetry? | Bùi Chát

poem by Bùi Chát
translation by Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

What is poetry?

– How the f..k would I know!
You’re the poet, you tell me!

Bùi Chát is the poet, writer, publisher and artist’s pen name. Bùi Quang Viễn was born on October 22, 1979, at Hố Nai, Biên Hòa, Đồng Nai Province, Việt Nam. Born to family of patriotic Catholic refugees from the North in 1954.

Graduated in 2001 from the Faculty of Literature, Linguistics, and Journalism of Hồ Chí Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities. Bùi Chát named and cofounded Nhóm Mở Miệng (Open Mouth Group) with the poet and writer Lý Đợi, promoting Graveyard & Garbage Poetry.

Nhà Xuất bản Giấy Vụn (Scrap Paper Publishing House), also founded by Bùi Chát, distributions of xerographically structured sensitive works by “pavement poets”. In 2004, Bùi Chát and cofounder Lý Đợi were detained for two days for distributing flyers at a poetry reading raided by the authority. In 2005, the culture department blocked their performance at the Goethe Institute in Hà Nội.

In 2011, Bùi Chát was awarded the IPA Freedom to Publish Prize “for his exemplary courage in upholding the freedom to publish.” He was arrested on his return to Việt Nam after receiving the award in Buenos Aires and detained for several days.

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.

Can’t sleep | Hồ Chí Minh

Vietnamese flag on flagpole textile cloth fabric waving on the top sunrise mist fog

thơ Hồ Chí Minh
Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm dịch

2am 4am and it was six
tossing and turning all in the mix
8am 10am in a blink
the soul was engulf in a 5 points yellow star

Thụy bất trước


Nhất canh nhị canh hựu tam canh
Triển chuyển bồi hồi thụy bất thành
Tứ ngũ canh thì tài hợp nhãn
Mộng hồn hoàn nhiễu ngũ tiêm tinh.

Hồ Chí Minh [1890-1969] Bác Hồ, Uncle Ho, the poet was a Vietnamese revolutionary and politician who served as the founder and first president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam from 1945 until his death in 1969, and as its first prime minister from 1945 to 1955.

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.

Trong album cũ của gia đình | Georg Trakl

Quê Hương in Hải Phòng, photography by Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

By Georg Trakl
Translation into Vietnamese by Lê Vĩnh Tài

bao giờ bạn trở lại, u sầu
lẻ bóng, hỡi linh hồn lẻ loi
một ngày vàng rực rỡ và đã kết thúc
người bệnh yếu ớt đầu hàng cơn đau
âm vang giai điệu du dương và êm ái điên cuồng
hãy nhìn kia, hoàng hôn
đêm trở lại lần nữa và một người than khóc
một người khác đau khổ chịu đựng
trong sự cảm thông cứ rùng mình dưới những ngôi sao mùa thu
năm tháng cúi đầu sâu hơn nữa…

Always you return, melancholy,
Oh meekness of the lonely soul.
To the end a golden day glows
With humility the patient one bows before pain
Resounding with melodies and tender madness.
See! It is already dusk.
Again night comes in and a mortal lament
And with it another suffers.
Trembling beneath autumn stars
Yearly the head bows deeper.

Georg Trakl [1887 – 1914] was an Austrian poet and the brother of the pianist Grete Trakl. He is considered one of the most important Austrian Expressionists. He is perhaps best known for his poem “Grodek”, which he wrote shortly before he died of a cocaine overdose.

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.