A poem in Vietnamese by Vũ Ngọc Giao
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
Published on Gobblers & Masticadores Espana

*with my other namesakes

.

I’m sitting side by I

in the echoes of a crackling waterfall

spilling into dusk

.

there in a staggering moment

the saddest of birdsong

the tweets of a lifetime !

.

December 2020

_____

UỐNG RƯỢU MỘT MÌNH

* với Vũ Hồ Như

.

ta về ngồi lại cùng ta

vọng âm thác lở

tràn qua cung chiều

.

thấy trong lạng quạng hắt hiu

con chim nào hót buồn thiu 

một đời !

---

Vũ Ngọc Giao, the Vietnamese musician and poet born 1951, My Tho. A former student Petrus Ký Sài Gòn (1961 – 1968), an alumnus of the Faculty of Philosophy, the University of Literature Saigon (1968 – 1970), he is the founder of Phu Nhuan Guitar Club, Saigon. His poetry is published on many literary websites. A few familiar songs: Looking back at my life, The man with sad eyes (a poem by Đỗ Trung Quân), His return on a rainy night, The July rain…

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 Vũ Ngọc Giao
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

heels tapping

a stallion itching for the road

the trees, silent . drooping shadows 

watchful of the alleyways , late in the dark ..

.

the sudden overwhelming ascending fog 

a disjointed song

slipping from someone’s lips

.

the horizon lopsided

We’re drunk to the last drop

a life off-kilter

.

lashes lifted, eyeful of stars

the night wide open

the scent of a breeze

.

heels tapping

a stallion in earnest for the road

the shadows, silent . the drooping trees

the deserted road , abandoned ..

.

March 2021

—

GÕ CHÂN NGỰA PHỐ

* với Ngô Đình Hải

.

gõ chân

ngựa muốn lên đường

cây im . bóng rũ

ngó phường phố , khuya ..

.

sương rơi bất chợt đầm đìa

lan man khúc hát

chực lìa khỏi môi

.

ta say nghiêng ngửa đất trời

nâng ly nốc cạn

một đời lao đao

.

ngẩng lên mắt chợt đầy sao

đêm mênh mang

cánh gió nào ngát hương

.

gõ chân

ngựa nhớ phố phường

bóng im . cây rũ

con đường vắng , thênh ..

---

Vũ Ngọc Giao, the Vietnamese musician and poet born 1951, My Tho. A former student Petrus Ký Sài Gòn (1961 – 1968), an alumnus of the Faculty of Philosophy, the University of Literature Saigon (1968 – 1970), he is the founder of Phu Nhuan Guitar Club, Saigon. His poetry is published on many literary websites. A few familiar songs: Looking back at my life, The man with sad eyes (a poem by Đỗ Trung Quân), His return on a rainy night, The July rain…

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 Vũ Ngọc Giao
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

there in the ever ending

call of a bird 

on shoulders fell

I couldn’t in whom eyes tell

exhaling sound

desolation

.

November 2019

_____

CÕI VÔ CÙNG

.

sớm mai trong cõi vô cùng

tiếng chim nào 

rớt ngập ngừng trên vai

tôi nhìn tôi trong mắt ai

nghe ra hơi thở 

đã dài quạnh hiu

---

Vũ Ngọc Giao, the Vietnamese musician and poet born 1951, My Tho. A former student Petrus Ký Sài Gòn (1961 – 1968), an alumnus of the Faculty of Philosophy, the University of Literature Saigon (1968 – 1970), he is the founder of Phu Nhuan Guitar Club, Saigon. His poetry is published on many literary websites. A few familiar songs: Looking back at my life, The man with sad eyes (a poem by Đỗ Trung Quân), His return on a rainy night, The July rain…

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 Vũ Ngọc Giao
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
Art: Đinh Trường Chinh

night ,

the sun is fast asleep the way my love has been turned off

wishes nodding off

and , I left – without a word of goodbye

in the salty domain of the sea and the sound deep call (of the ocean)

bring back not the waves of longing

–

you are my love , like the highlands’ morning mist

hence , I could never reveal , how I feel (in this lifetime)

( though it may be words of love )

this love – I will, safeguard it alone

( the way I’ve safeguard the sadness of my childhood )

with not a word of regret

–

night ,

night unrelenting in love

night sighing along with my hands

not once with regret

( the way ) I have not once held your hand

—

June 2022

_

NHỦ THẦM VỚI BIỂN 

–

đêm ,

mặt trời ngủ yên như tình yêu anh tắt

những nguyện ước gục đầu

và , anh lại ra đi – không lời từ giã

vùng biển mặn và tiếng nói ( đại dương ) sâu thẳm

xin đừng khơi lại thương nhớ 

–

em , như mù sương buổi sáng cao nguyên

nên , anh cũng trọn đời không bày tỏ

( dù là tiếng yêu em )

tình yêu này – anh , một mình gìn giữ

( như đã gìn giữ những mùa đau buồn của tuổi nhỏ )

mà , không lời thầm nuối

–

đêm ,

đêm thương nhớ khôn nguôi

anh thở dài cùng hai bàn tay

chưa bao giờ hối tiếc

( cũng như ) chưa một lần nắm lấy tay em

---

Vũ Ngọc Giao, the Vietnamese musician and poet born 1951, My Tho. A former student Petrus Ký Sài Gòn (1961 – 1968), an alumnus of the Faculty of Philosophy, the University of Literature Saigon (1968 – 1970), he is the founder of Phu Nhuan Guitar Club, Saigon. His poetry is published on many literary websites. A few familiar songs: Looking back at my life, The man with sad eyes (a poem by Đỗ Trung Quân), His return on a rainy night, The July rain…

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 Vũ Ngọc Giao
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

I’ve waited for you my whole life

the light fading with the sunrise

love beckoning endearment

.

I’ve waited for you

in silence

time turning

the ache shifting

the moans

.

another day, upon the golden gallop of the soul

our yearning, the cruelty of long ago!

.

February 2021

—

CHỜ EM

.

ta chờ em suốt một đời

nắng phai theo nắng

tình trôi theo tình

.

ta chờ em 

rất lặng thinh

chỉ nghe ngày tháng trở mình

than

van

.

một mai , hồn có võ vàng

nhớ nhau , nhớ cuộc chơi tàn nhẫn , xưa !

---

Vũ Ngọc Giao, the Vietnamese musician and poet born 1951, My Tho. A former student Petrus Ký Sài Gòn (1961 – 1968), an alumnus of the Faculty of Philosophy, the University of Literature Saigon (1968 – 1970), he is the founder of Phu Nhuan Guitar Club, Saigon. His poetry is published on many literary websites. A few familiar songs: Looking back at my life, The man with sad eyes (a poem by Đỗ Trung Quân), His return on a rainy night, The July rain…

Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm, the blogger, poet and translator, born 1971 in Phu Nhuan, Saigon, Vietnam. The pharmacist currently lives and works in Western Sydney, Australia.

A poem in Vietnamese by Vũ Ngọc Giao
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm
Art: Đinh Trường Chinh

---

THE NIGHT SEA

(February 2020)

.

you’re there in drops of light

the sunset on the bight fading

tunes on the empty porch 

into memory thoughts sinking

.

heard still the waves landing

soothing ebbing flowing your name

my life in the end sees

nothing but the night sea, nothing

*****

you’re the way

my deliverance to the Promised Land

the great magnificent splendour of Palestine

me – a mere wandering soul of an Israelite

take me, hold me, adorn me with your kiss

.

as you are forever

my Country!

________

BIỂN ĐÊM

.

em ngồi cùng giọt nắng

hoàng hôn úa bên thềm

tiếng đàn ngoài hiên vắng

đã chìm vào lãng quên

.

vẫn nghe hoài tiếng sóng

vỗ miệt mài tên em

hết đời ta có lẽ

chỉ còn là biển đêm

*****

em là con đường

đưa tôi trở về Đất Hứa

miền đất vĩ đại huy hoàng tráng lệ Palestine

còn tôi – tôi chỉ là hồn Do Thái lang thang

xin em hãy ôm và hôn tôi

.

vì , Tổ Quốc tôi chính là em

mãi mãi !

---

Vũ Ngọc Giao, the Vietnamese musician, and poet born in 1951, My Tho. A former student Petrus Ký Sài Gòn (1961 – 1968), an alumnus of the Faculty of Philosophy, the University of Literature Saigon (1968 – 1970), he is the founder of Phu Nhuan Guitar Club, Saigon. His poetry is published on many literary websites. A few familiar songs: Looking back at my life, The man with sad eyes (a poem by Đỗ Trung Quân), His return on a rainy night, The July rain…

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 Vũ Ngọc Giao
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

eyes foggy with exhaustion ,

followed the murky water ,

heading for the sea !

–

in time , amidst heaven and earth ,

easy by the breeze ,

sang the wordless melody !

_

January 2022

–

LỜI VÔ NGÔN 

* với Trần Xuân Dũng

–

mắt chìm sương khói mỏi mê ,

theo con nước đục ,

ta về biển khơi !

–

mai sau , giữa đất và trời ,

thản nhiên cùng gió ,

hát lời vô ngôn !

---

Vũ Ngọc Giao, the Vietnamese musician and poet born 1951, My Tho. A former student Petrus Ký Sài Gòn (1961 – 1968), an alumnus of the Faculty of Philosophy, the University of Literature Saigon (1968 – 1970), he is the founder of Phu Nhuan Guitar Club, Saigon. His poetry is published on many literary websites. A few familiar songs: Looking back at my life, The man with sad eyes (a poem by Đỗ Trung Quân), His return on a rainy night, The July rain…

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 Vũ Ngọc Giao
Translator: Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

one .

the old pavement steeped in moonlight ,

the old garden empty and silent ,

giving into the scent of ylang ylang .

–

the distracted notes strummed on the old guitar ,

a halfhearted serenade of endless love .

–

two .

the old pavement had found a place to settle down ,

an old bird with broken wings ,

and sound sad eyes .

–

the old moon like a crazy ripe fruit ,

blue bruised and yellow, discarded, dangling in the middle of the sky .

–

three .

the old pavement chilled by an abandoned seat ,

the weepy regret of an old lover ,

Game over .

–

soon, I will leave the old pavement for forever land ,

light our names, in the remembrance of an old moon .

..

May 2022

.

PHỐ & TRĂNG 

–

một .

phố xưa chìm ngợp màu trăng ,

vườn xưa im vắng ,

hương hoàng lan đưa .

–

đàn xưa ai dạo thẫn thờ ,

ta ngồi hát khúc hững hờ trăm năm .

–

hai .

phố xưa tìm một chỗ nằm ,

chim xưa gãy cánh ,

mắt đăm muộn phiền .

–

trăng xưa như trái tình điên ,

vàng xanh hiu hắt , treo nghiêng giữa trời .

–

ba .

phố xưa lạnh một chỗ ngồi ,

tình xưa khóc nuối ,

cuộc chơi đã tàn .

–

mai , ta bỏ phố lên ngàn ,

thắp tên nhau , nhớ mùa trăng thuở nào .

---

Vũ Ngọc Giao, the Vietnamese musician, and poet born in 1951, My Tho. A former student Petrus Ký Sài Gòn (1961 – 1968), an alumnus of the Faculty of Philosophy, the University of Literature Saigon (1968 – 1970), he is the founder of Phu Nhuan Guitar Club, Saigon. His poetry is published on many literary websites. A few familiar songs: Looking back at my life, The man with sad eyes (a poem by Đỗ Trung Quân), His return on a rainy night, The July rain…

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.