Categories
POETRY/THƠ

Lê Vĩnh Tài | the old (91)

Lê Vĩnh Tài, the Vietnamese poet and translator, born 1966 in Buon Ma Thuot, Daklak, Vietnam. The retired doctor is still a resident of the Western Highlands, an acclaimed businessman in Buon Ma Thuot.
—
Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm, the poet and translator, born 1971 in Phu Nhuan, Saigon, Vietnam. The pharmacist currently lives and works in Western Sydney, Australia.

By Lê Vĩnh Tài, translated by Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

.

the old

often are stricken with senility

loneliness

. 

but you

you’re still too young

you’re forgotten

.

you fret: mama oh I can’t recall but

possibly

I could have still

an entire life

.

July 2019

_____ 

người già

nhiều khi mắc bệnh không trí nhớ

bơ vơ…

.

còn bạn

bạn còn trẻ quá

nên bạn chỉ bị quên

.

bạn nói: mẹ ơi con quên

hình như con

đã từng có

cả một cuộc đời…

By Nguyễn Thị Phương Trâm

There's magic in translating a body of work from one language to another.

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