Poems by Ngo Thanh Van from Vietnam

 

Poems by Ngo Thanh Van from Vietnam

Her biography:

Born on June 12 in Gia Lai; Hometown: Nghe An
Currently living and working in Pleiku,Gia Lai
Member of VietnamWriters’ Association
Member of the Association of Literature and Arts of Vietnamese Ethnic Minorities
Member of Gia Lai Culture and Arts Association.

Literature works published:
Through the memory region (Poetry collection); Whisper to You (A Collection of Short Stories); June 12 (Poetry); Night Sketch (Poetry); Listening to the breath of leaves (Poetry); Foreign land (A collection of short stories); Mist region and Streets (prose)

Awards:
- Young Prize of the Vietnamese Arts and Culture Association; Prize C of Gia Lai Provincial Arts and Culture Association; Fourth Prize, Xu Thanh Magazine; Consolation prizes of Gia Lai Provincial Culture and Arts Association; Prize C of Gia Lai Provincial Culture and Arts Award.

Her poems:

The makeup

Everyday
I draw myself a new face
that it is different from me

everyday
with a variety of color
portraits to sell, no one buys
pale on me
it is even pale on inner feelings of the deep sleep in the subconsciousness

everyday
I am more beautiful
vivid colors
and the brushes seem mastered

I make up for what eyes see and ears hear
lulling all senses
thoughtI'm smart and clever

night hits me the truth
back to myself with the pain of a person who knows crying
the mask is only effective when the sun is shining

applying, erasing, washing
wanting the sterilization to return me the innocent and pure
the innocent has left

I shake my head. The lonely shake
tomorrow
another mask
waiting for.


The rough sea

Stumbled by a pebble in the ocean
I slipped tottering
waves competing tocome up
full of envy

verse is a pinwheel
spinning me hard to the wind direction
oscillatinga peaceful area of letters
dancing on the redundant party

I bargained with the wave
the wave is me. And vice versa
my limit is narrow
the wave is screaming at the sea

this afternoon the sea is rough
thousands of waves racing each other
still jealous and competing
luckily the bargain could not be effective
I sit with the verse. Cried.


The molt

Self deluding about the halo behind a firefly tail
fanciful blue light at nights
gestatingthe continuousdays, the measurement of the soft insect
every word crawles out of the mind
dancing on the page
I contain with premonitions, predictions, forecasts
no beginning, no end
longing for the stop point

sometimes. I compromise with the shadow
dark and silent shadow on the wall
the share (probably) is the most safe
withdrawing all my heart
holding the shadow. That shadowholds me

the insecurity reigns in the wrinkled forehead
crepting on the mollusk feet
hesitating in thought
vague in thousands of things that need very much the faith
it seems as if I'm selling myself

in heavendreams
insects singing to pay a song for life
purified by night dew
the wind blows through the cold season
floating clear serenade

I learned from the night with countless laughters
glowing molluscs
the way of mollusks
the pain of sea clams
so as not to delude myself
when not start a fire
not dedicate all giving season
for poetry.


Night in Pleiku

Night in Pleiku
exposingnakedchests
hills in bowl upside down
tired of knees,the remote ways
hardship

Night in Pleiku
wandering aimless footsteps
you draw a circle on the brown eyes
by cigarette smoke
melting into me into dew

naked hands caress the night
Pleiku with young ladies
golden hillsare protruding
glittering eyes of shakingBien Ho

Pleiku stirs up my low note
definately like a silent pine tree
youstir up my thirst
puberty night, girl fragrance
tilted night.


The rebirth

Movingmyself
struggling in a tight shirt
in a chaos thoughts
words found me

seeing me asleep on the hill
dreaming of the far away horizon
thousands of twinkling stars
on the river with crashing waves

I sing a song for myself
autumn short passage. And old things
old thoughts
old words
old ideas
the train runs on the old rail
lulling me

in heaven dreams
seeing me to fly towards the sun
tearing the cover off
burning body into the fire
burning myself
Rebirth.


(Translated into English by HFT)