POETIC DELIGHTS BY NGUYEN THI THUY LINH-VIETNAM

 

1-MOUNTAIN MUSIC

Searching the mountain 

Wandering slowly like a little dove

Forgetting its grey-brown wings

Flower petals falling on the cool stone

Wanting to shed everything, to lie down

Watching the sky sprinkle on the mountain's body

Soft clouds of mist

The flower tree, sleeping a long time on the stone’s chest

Gently stirs in a dream

Wearing a different coloured dress

Draped over the cracked stone

Old stories leave fragrance in my hair   

Whispering of fingers

Writing on the stone's surface

Washing away the stone’s heart

Falling leaves stirring

Embracing themselves 

overflowing with affection

Ancient bamboo vibrates gently in the wind, 

a couple of lovers are entwined like thin silk.

@ Translated into English by Helen Pletts 

2-ENTER THE WORLD

I do not know whether I am a green bird

with spread wings encrusted jewels

Or a slippery eel standing up with her tail?

Bewilderedly enter the world

Missing your earth passionately.

 

I held my breath in imagination for hours

To live and overcome the restless of sprouting buds

Broken this silence

By the other silence

Quieter and deeper

Let me know,

are they the same wavelength?

Like when I cry

The river remains breathless for a few seconds.

Regretting for self-murder of water drop on the grass.

 

On the cold sand beach

Waves are eating the ripening first fruits

Like my eyes have just cried

When trembling saying that

In front of the absolutely pure ground

I will take off this sacred body

Just to become a little flower

Grows on the world’s retina

And the blood from petal of flowers

spill for salvation.

3-LITTLE LA LA

La La has become a small butterfly

The ground is full of flower’s footprints

The colostrum saturates into white dawn

Sweet aroma even on the wings of stork

 

La La has become a small butterfly

Hug the soft grass with dewdrops

Whether the singing of bird come through earthen windows

In the bell deliriously learning how to cry and laugh 

La La has become a small butterfly

Hiding after the curtain of autumn

The winds also become as relatives

I come here! I am here...

 

The room shrinks into a cradle

Silver-haired midwives sway cradle lightly

The old bed gets fluttered, and me too

The silver moonlight is boiling on the medicine cup

 

I am a painting colored fully

The fetus’s sound like as ripening fruits lull the tree

The wind roots along the wall and passionately sings

Marvelous rhythm rises up, for a moment:

The stars overlap on the armpit of leaves

Breasts stretch out among the sky

The intestines get connected together endlessly

Dry hearts begin to gurgle

The hands sprout more fingers and hold tight together...

@ Translated into English by Nguyễn Thị Thùy Linh

Edited by Gjekë Marinaj

AUTHOR:

NGUYỄN THỊ THÙY LINH (Vietnam)

Nguyễn Thị Thùy Linh, born in 1991, is a poet and literary translator who

now lives and works in Hai Phong, Vietnam. She received her Bachelor's Degree

in Economics from Hanoi National Economic University.

Her published works include the translated children’s story collection “The

Twin Dolls to Earth” by Serbian writer Milutin Đuričković (Writers' Association

Publishing House, 2016), the translated poetry collection “The Wings of

Darkness” by Saudi Arabian poet Raed Anis Al-Jishi (Writers' Association

Publishing House, 2018)… In addition, she has translated poems and short stories

by various international authors, which have been introduced in Vietnamese

literary newspapers and journals. Her poetry has been translated into many

languages and featured in international literary journals and anthologies, such as

“World Poetry Yearbook 2024” (Rubini Publishing, Cyprus), Anthology of

Vietnam (Common Literature Period, India), “Asia Poetry Anthology” (Korea)

and “Beneath the Shades of Time: Nameless Horizons” (GEER Publishing,

Tirana), among others.

She was awarded “The Gold Moon of 6-8 poetry Prize,” the highest prize

given by The Elder Newspaper and Website lucbat.com (co-organizer), under the

auspices of Vietnamese Fatherland Front Central Committee and Buddisht Sangha

of Vietnam. She won the in a poetry contest awarded by “Văn nghệ quân đội”

literary magazine for the years of 2015-2016. She has also received international

certificates and commendations for her contributions to literature and inspiring

works, awarded by SINDH COURIER Magazine (Pakistan), Wordsmith

International Editorial, the Academy of International Culture and Literature, and

others.