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Current issue: VOLUME 9 –DOUBLE ISSUE - JAN
2007 & JULY 2007
Horses, oil on canvas, 30
x 40 inches by Nguyen Khai
ABOUT THE
ARTIST:
 NGUYEN THI HOP, graduated
from Saigon National Fine Arts School in 1964. Her first solo art show took
place in Taipei (Taiwan, in 1966. As a member of the “Vietnamese Young Artists
Association” since 1968 she had regular exhibitions in Saigon, Paris, and
many cities in Germany and the US. From 1995 to 1998 she participated in
Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition “An Ocean Apart” touring 12
Museums in the USA. She is also a prolific illustrator for numerous books
published in Vietnam, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, the United
Kingdom, and the United States. Awarded, National Art Exhibit in Saigon,
1978. Two works were acquired by the National Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi,
Vietnam (1976 and 1978). Her most recent exhibition was at Viet Bao, 14841
Moran St Westminster CA 92683 (2006).
-----> Art: Mother and Child
˙
RETURN TO CONTRIBUTORS ˙
TWP’s sister magazine:
WORDBRIDGE
(ISSN: 1540-1723).
WORDBRIDGE, established 2002 by N. Saomai, published in the US, the first
English-language literary magazine from the Vietnamese literary community, is a magazine of literature in translation, and a magazine for
literary works of quality originally written in English by established and
new writers, edited by the same editor of the Song-Van (ISSN: 1089-8123) and
The Writers Post (ISSN: 1527-5469). Wordbridge contains selected literary pieces in a variety
of genres: fiction (short stories, excerpts from unpublished novel), poetry
(rhymed poems, free verse), translations, reviews, literary critiques, and
essays on literature and art.
N. SAOMAI, WORDBRIDGE, PREMIER ISSUE, SPRING 2002: “Wordbridge is a
magazine of literature and literature in translation. Its aim is nothing less
than to bring to the reader literary works from established and new writers,
in the original language and in translation. Its part in translation is to
introduce a foreign literature to those who appreciate not only the enjoyment
of reading, but also the knowing and understanding of other cultures. The
magazine is published biannually. It features selected pieces in a variety of
genres, and will includeľ apart from its
main contents, reviews, criticism, and essays.
For the past two years I've had the
opportunity to introduce to the online reader some English translations of
fiction and poetry from Vietnamese authors through The Writers Post magazine at www. thewriterspost.net. This
electronic literary magazine was launched on July 1999, with an emphasis on
what the Wordbridge intends: to bring to readers who may want to read the
literary works originally written in the Vietnamese language for long
entrenched behind the barrier of language. Both magazines are under my
editorship, and will work in association with each other…” (READ MORE)
WORDBRIDGE is available from
major universities and library collections:
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Request in: Jefferson or Adams Bldg General or Area Studies Reading Rms
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
Request in: Kroch Library Asia
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Request in: Widener Harvard Depository
YALE UNIVERSITY Request
in: Southeast Asia Collection.
UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA, IRVINE Request in: UC Irvine Library.
UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES. Request in:
UC Los Angeles Library
POETS HOUSE 72 Spring
Street, 2nd fl, New York, NY 10012
KYOTO UNIVERSITY [Japan] Request in: Center for Southeast
Asian Studies.
_____________________________________________________
THE WRITERS POST
DOUBLE ISSUE
VOLUME 9 -NUMBER 1 &
2 -JAN 2007 JULY 2007
Editorial note: Most of the works published in this electronic magazine are simultaneously
published in the printed Wordbridge (ISSN: 1540-1723), and vice-versa.
The author’s biographies,
the notes on contributors published in THE WRITERS POST and simultaneously in the WORDBRIDGE are written by N. Saomai,
the editor of the magazines. In The Writers Post, there are three sections in
which an author’s biography or a note on the author appears: the issue
itself, the author’s bio section, and the list of Vietnamese poets and
writers abroad. The author’s bios are subject to change where needs be to
bring factual information on the authors published in The Writers Post up to
date. We thank the writers published in The Writers Post who grant the
magazine permission to publish their photographs along with their works or
their bios.
Editorial
Page & Letter to the editor
THE
WRITERS POST welcomes letters to the editor, especially letters which are in
response to a critique published in The Writers Post. Letters must include the
sender’s address and telephone number for verification, and senders must
identify themselves by real name. Anonymous letters will not be read. If you
send your letter via e-mail, it must be pasted into the body of the e-mail.
Don’t send attachments. If you prefer to send your letter via conventional
mail, please find The Writers Post’s conventional mail address in The Writers
Post Home Page. The editor forfeits the right to correct typing errors or
known factual errors, and your letter will be printed as-is. The writers
published in The Writers Post express their readiness to discuss any issues
they wrote, and The Writers Post would like to print any response, especially
to criticism, for other point of view. However, a letter that is considered
potentially libelous, or a response that includes the response of a third
person will not be published (Here we have a simple reason, an indirect
response is considered personal issue, and a bad-behaved response, if
intended to be hidden inside the other person’s feedback is considered of low
quality and anonymous). Although The Writers Post doesn’t guarantee their
publication, all letters are welcomed. ----
FEATURED
A
DIRECTORY
OF VIETNAMESE POETS AND WRITERS IN
THE OVERSEAS
[Vietnamese Poets And Writers Abroad
LISTINGS]
 THE ‘VIETNAMESE
WRITERS ABROAD LISTINGS’ AIMS TO PROVIDE FACTUAL INFORMATION ON POETS AND
WRITERS LIVING ABROAD.
Most of Vietnamese writers living abroad are first-generation
immigrants, who left Vietnam for the free world as a result of the 1975
events, when South Vietnam collapsed and the Communist North took over the
entire country. They are the ones who paved the way for a new literary
community abroad, and subsequently, with writers who started writing after
1975 and second-generation writers who left Vietnam as teenagers, brought
Vietnamese literature into existence in the overseas. [ Click
here for their listings in the full list ]
˙ RETURN TO CONTRIBUTORS ˙
IN THE NEWS OF SORROW
We’re very sorry to bring you the news that
poet and translator NGUYEN PHAN THINH has died aged 62 on May 27, 2007 in
Vietnam, after a battle with cancer.
 NGUYEN
PHAN THINH, born in 1943
in Ha Nam, resettled in South Vietnam in 1954. He started in the literary
community with his poems, translations contributed to several magazines
published in Saigon, including Mai, Tieu Thuyet Tuan San, Van, Van Hoc, Van
De, Bach Khoa. After 1975,
he contributed to Vietnam and overseas journals: My
Thuat Thoi Nay, Tri Thuc, Van Nghe Tp.HCM, The Gioi Moi, Kien Thuc Ngay Nay,
Van Tuyen, Van Chuong (VN), Cau Lac Bo Tho Tan Hinh Thuc
[www.thotanhinhthuc.org], Wordbridge [ISSN: 1540-1723], The Writers Post
[www.thewriterspost.net], Tap Chi Tho, Van Hoc, Hop Luu, Khoi Hanh, Thu Quan
Ban Thao, Tien Ve, Talawas. He is the author of four books of poetry: Hu Ngon
(Hue, VN: 1969), Mo mot sang mai hong (Phan Rang, VN: Jan. 1975 [limited
editon in roneo-ed form]), Lang man doi trang (with other poets. Mui Ca Mau,
VN: 1989), Tinh ca mua (VN: Thanh Nien, 2002). His unpublished works include
‘Tho viet tren vach lua’, ‘Suoi o dau non’, ‘Nguoi, Duoi, va Sung’.
˙
RETURN TO CONTRIBUTORS ˙
English
literature
POETRY – ARTICLES
JAZZ
JEAN-CLAUDE IN THE PARK
Two poems by Christopher Barnes
Jazz Jean-Claude In The Park
 CHRISTOPHER BARNES, British poet, won the Northern Arts Writers
Award in 1998, published the debut poetry collection LOVEBITES in 2005
(Chanticleer Press, 6/1 Jamaica Mews, Edinburgh).Christopher Barnes performed
numerous poetry readings, in July 2001 at Waterstones bookshop to promote the
anthology ‘Titles Are Bitches’, on Christmas of the same year at Newcastle’s
Morden Tower debuting the poet’s own poems, in August 2003 at the Edinburgh
Festival as a Per Verse poet at LGBT Centre, Broughton St. Each year
Christopher Barnes reads for Proudwords lesbian and gay writing festival. As
a poet taking an active part in the literary circles of Newcastle,
Christopher Barnes involved in events and partook in workshops, works include
making radio programme for Web community radio, entering a poem/visual image
into The Art Café project, making a digital film with artists Kate Sweeney
and Julie Ballands at a film making workshop called Out Of The Picture which
was shown at the festival party for Proudwords. Also, Christopher Barnes
worked on the collaborative art and literature project How Gay Are Your
Genes, facilitated by poet Lisa Mathews, exhibited at The Hatton Gallery,
Newcastle University. Christopher Barnes’ The Holiday I Never Had was
recorded by The South Bank Centre in London. The poet can be heard reading it
on www.poetrymagazines.org.uk/magazine/record.asp?id=18456
Christopher Barnes is living in
Newcastle, UK.
˙
RETURN TO CONTRIBUTORS ˙ Jazz
Jean-Claude In The Park
Christopher
Barnes’ Bio
COCHINCHINA:
REASSESSMENT OF THE
ORIGIN AND
USE OF A WESTERNIZED PLACE NAME
by Vu Dinh Dinh
Cochinchina:
Reassessment of …
 VU DINH DINH was born and grew up in Vietnam. Pursuing higher education he came
to the US in 1956 and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill, University of Chicago, and University of Hawaii where he obtained his
Ph.D. He was recipient of an East-West Center Grant, a National Endowment for
the Humanities Grant, and a National Science Foundation Honorable Mention Award,
and having served as Senior Heath Planner with the Houston Department of
Health and Human Services, taught at the college level, and had scientific
research works published in international journals. His publications on
Vietnamese culture include “In Search of a Tradition Code of Behavior and
Cochinchina: Reassessment of the Origin and Use of a Westernized Place Name”.
In 2001, his ‘Selected Vietnamese Poetry’ was published by R&M (Stafford,
Texas: R&M, 2001). Published
bilingually, the book includes 100 original poems in Vietnamese language he
selected, and 100 translation versions he translated into English. The poems,
which cover a period of more than one thousand years beginning with Ly Thuong
Kiet’s dating from 1077 when this General repelled the Tong invasion (from
China), range over various topics taken as the translator’s main focus of
human love and passions: the beloved land, patriotic appeals, family ties,
and human nature.
˙ RETURN
TO CONTRIBUTORS ˙ Cochinchina:
Reassessment of … Vu Dinh Dinh’s Bio
COMPOSITION
A poem by Hoang Xuan
Son
Composition
 HOANG XUAN SON, or Su Mac (pseudonym),
born in Vy Da-Thua Thien (Vietnam) in 1942 (registered as 1947 in
his birth certificate), teacher and public servant, who was educated at
universities from where he graduated: University of Saigon (Bachelor degree of
Education -Western philosophy), and University of Dalat (Master
of Business Administration). Hoang Xuan Son began writing poetry in 1963. His
first poem 'Ngay be lon len' appeared in Van magazine in 1964 (the magazine
was then under the editorship of Tran Phong Giao, published by the publisher
Nguyen Dinh Vuong), was followed by many others published in Van, Chinh Van,
Nghien Cuu Van Hoc, Khoi Hanh, Thoi Tap, Nha Van magazines. In 1981, he left
Vietnam for Canada where he settled. ‘Vien Pho’, his first collection of
poetry published in 1989 by Viet Chien Publisher was followed by ‘Hue Buon
Chi’ published in 1993, and ‘Luc Bat Hoang Xuan Son’ published by Thu An Quan
in 2004. Beside these three publications, Hoang Xuan Son's poems have
appeared in numerous literary magazines, anthologies, and electronic literary
magazines on the World Wide Web published or based in the US and Canada. A
new poetry collection Tho Quynh and a CD titled Quynh Huong that presents the
songs of ten distinguished songwriters are in preparation.
˙
RETURN TO CONTRIBUTORS ˙ Composition
Literature
in translation
SHORT STORY POETRY ESSAYS
THE DREAM OF A HURRICANE
by Nguyen Thi Thanh
Binh, translated by N. Saomai
The dream
of a hurricane
 NGUYEN THI
THANH BINH, fiction writer and poet.
Her most recent book is Dau An, a collection of short stories published
by Van Moi Publisher (2004). This is the fifth book of the author, after Tron
Vao Giac Mo Em, a collection of poetry published by Thanh Van Publisher
(1997), O Doi Song Nay (a collection of short stories) published by Dai Nam
Publisher (1989), Giot Le Xe Hai (a novel) published by Van Khoa Publisher,
and Cuoi Dem Dai (a collection of short stories) published by An Tiem
Publisher (1993). Her poems have appeared in
numerous magazines, one of her short stories has been anthologized in
"Tho van hai ngoai nam 2000" (CA: Van Moi Publisher, 2000). Nguyen
Thi Thanh Binh is presently the editor of Gio Van, a literary magazine
founded in 2002 in the US.
Nguyen Thi Thanh Binh’s Bio About the
translator The dream
of a hurricane
˙
RETURN TO CONTRIBUTORS ˙
THE
CHARACTER UPRISING
A short story by Tran
Yen Thao, translated by N. Saomai
The character uprising
 TRAN YEN THAO,
pseudonym of Tran Ngoc Minh, poet, writer and translator, who was born in
1940 Binh Thuan (Phan-thiet, Central Vietnam). Before and after 1975 when
South Vietnam collapsed, he has contributed to several literary magazines
published in Vietnam. His debut short story collection ‘Mac Can’ was
published in 1970 by Tu Thuc Publisher in Saigon, which was followed by ‘Hat
tu tho Tran Yen Thao’ (collection of poems set into music by musicians Tran
Van Bui, Viet Chung and Nguyen Tung published by Hanh Dong in 1971), ‘Qua
tang nguoi xua’ (collection of poems published by Tre Publisher in 1998), and
‘Rung nguyen so’ (collection of poems published by Tre Publisher in 1999).
Besides, his works have been selected for several anthologies, including ‘Luc
Bat Tinh’ (which includes 501 authors, published by Dong Nai in 1997), ‘Sac
Huong Hoa But’ (several authors, published by Van Nghe in 2001), ‘Tuyen tap 7
Tac-gia trong va ngoai nuoc’ (US: Thu An Quan, 2004), and ‘Ben troi’ (US: Thu
An Quan, 2004). In the field of translation, he translated into Vietnamese
‘Nhung kiet-nhan cua nen van-minh co-dai Trung-Quoc’ (co-translated from
Chinese with Lam Hong Lan; VN: Nha Van-Hoa Thong-Tin, 2001). Tran Yen Thao’s another book of
translation ‘17 The-ky lich-su cua con duong to lua’ which was due to reach
the market last year will soon be released in 2007. He is living in Binh
Thuan, Vietnam.
Tran Yen Thao’s Bio About the
translator The character
uprising
˙ RETURN TO CONTRIBUTORS ˙
CHERRY BLOSSOMS SHATTERING
by Ngu Thuyet,
translated by the author
Cherry blossoms
shattering
 NGU
THUYET, pseudonym of Ton That Ngu, born in Hue (Central Vietnam), former
teacher, officier in the Republic of Vietnam Armed Force. He settled in 1990
in the US, where he contributed regularly to the literary magazines Van, Van
Hoc, Chu De. He is the author of five books of fiction. His most recently Dau
Chan II was published by Van Moi in 2005, after Dau Chan (I) by Van Moi in
2003, Luu Day Va Que Nha by Van Moi 2002, Dao Thoat by Dong Van 1998, and his
debut Song Troi published by Thanh Van in 1996.
˙
RETURN TO CONTRIBUTORS ˙ Cherry blossoms
shattering Ngu Thuyet ‘s Bio
RESURRECTION
a poem by Nguyen Phan Thinh, translated by the author
Resurrection
 NGUYEN
PHAN THINH , born in 1943
in Ha Nam. The Geneva Accord in 1954, which divided North and South Vietnam
at the 17th Parallel, forced him to immigrate to South Vietnam,
where he settled in 1954. He started in the literary community with his
poems, translations contributed to several magazines published in Saigon,
including Mai, Tieu Thuyet Tuan San, Van, Van Hoc, Van De, Bach Khoa. After 1975, he contributed to Vietnam
and overseas journals: My Thuat Thoi Nay, Tri Thuc, Van Nghe
Tp.HCM, The Gioi Moi, Kien Thuc Ngay Nay, Van Tuyen, Van Chuong (VN), Cau Lac
Bo Tho Tan Hinh Thuc [www.thotanhinhthuc.org]. Wordbridge, The Writers Post
[www.thewriterspost.net], Tap Chi Tho, Van Hoc, Hop Luu, Khoi Hanh, Thu Quan
Ban Thao, Tien Ve, Talawas. He is the author of four books of poetry: Hu Ngon
(Hue, VN: 1969), Mo mot sang mai hong (Phan Rang, VN: Jan. 1975), Lang man
doi trang (with other poets. Mui Ca Mau, VN: 1989), Tinh ca mua (VN: Thanh
Nien, 2002). His unpublished works include Tho viet tren vach lua, Suoi o dau
non, Nguoi, Duoi, va Sung. Nguyen Phan Thinh died aged 62 on May 27, 2007 in Vietnam, after a battle with cancer.
‘Resurrection’ published in this issue is the late poet’s most recently poem
submitted to The Writers Post on December 2006.
˙
RETURN TO CONTRIBUTORS ˙ Resurrection Nguyen Phan Thinh’s Bio
NOWHERE TO GO
a short story by Nguyen Huu Tri, translated by the author
Nowhere
to go
 NGUYEN HUU TRI,
short-story writer, professor, translator, interviewer and editor, born in
1936 in NhaTrang (Vietnam), educated at Vo Tanh College (NhaTrang), obtained
his Baccalaureate II in 1958. Pursuing his higher education, in 1959, he went
to the US on the Leadership Training Scholarship (1959-1964), received his BA
in English from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (1962), his M.S in
Linguistics from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. (1964), and in
1981, his Ph.D. in Linguistics from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
He returned to Vietnam in 1964, and became an Associate Professor of English
and Linguistics, taught courses in Practical English, American Literature,
and Methodology of Teaching English as a Foreign Language at the
universities: University of Saigon (Faculty of Letters, Faculty of Pedagogy,
and Medical School), University of Can Tho, and Van Hanh University where he
later became, 1966-69, the Director of the Language Center, administered and
directed four distinct language programs in English, French, German and
Japanese, supervised 14 college teachers of different nationalities. Also, he
was an ESL Instructor at the Army Language School, Vietnamese American
Association (under the direction of USIA), and IBM. Saigon. Coming back to
and settling in the US in 1969, he worked as a Consultant, IDA, Science and
Technology Division (Language and Translation Study) in Washington, D.C. And
afterwards, from 1970 to 1971, an Assistant to the Cultural Officer, Embassy
of the Republic of Vietnam, Washington, D.C.; from 1971 to 1972, an
Instructor of Vietnamese at World Instruction and Translation Inc. (Defense
Language Institute contractor), Arlington, Virginia, where he taught
Vietnamese to American military personnel; from 1975 to 1976, a Consultant at
the National Bilingual Resource Center at the University of Southwestern
Louisiana, where he helped many school districts in six Southeastern states
set up ESL programs for Indochinese students; and from 1977 to 2002, a
Professor at Northern Virginia Community College. Parallelly, from 1972 to
present, he was working at VOA as a POV at the Vietnamese Service
(1972-1982), and from 1982 onwards, an International Radio Broadcaster
(Vietnamese), an interviewer, and an editor. In the field of literature,
Nguyen Huu Tri made his name as a writer with the publication of “Thang Ngo”
(1992), a collection of Vietnamese language short-stories, which was followed
by “An Trua, Nghe Ke Chuyen Tinh”, another collection of stories published by
Van (1999). He lives in Virginia.
˙
RETURN TO CONTRIBUTORS ˙ Nowhere to go
Nguyen Huu Tri’s Bio
VIETNAMESE LOVE POETRY
FROM TRADITIONAL PRE-WAR
PERIOD
TO NEW FORMALISM
An
essay by Khe Iem, translated by Joseph Do Vinh
Vietnamese love poetry
from traditional pre-war period to new formalism
 KHE IEM,
Vietnamese playwright, storywriter, poet,
editor. Born in 1946 in Nam Dinh, North Vietnam, he went into immigration
in South Vietnam after the 1954 Geneve agreement divided Vietnam into two
separate parts and set each part under a different political regime:
Communist North and Capitalist South Vietnam. “Hot Huyet”, his debut literary
work, a play, appeared in South Vietnam in 1972. Thirteen years after the Communist
conquest of South Vietnam in 1975, he escaped
Vietnam by boat in 1988, spending a year in a refugee camp in Malaysia before
coming to the United States in 1989, where he settled in California. In 1994,
he founded Tap Chi Tho, a very successful poetry magazine which is under his
editorship until 2004 (Poetry Magazine, US: Premier Issue launched in Fall
1994). He also published his other books: “Thanh Xuan” (poetry. US,
California: Van, 1992), “Loi cua qua khu” (story collection. US, California:
Van Moi, 1996), “Dau Que (poetry collection. US, California: Van Moi, 1996),
“Tan Hinh Thuc, Tu Khuc va nhung tieu luan khac” (literary essay. US,
California: Van Moi, 2003). In 2005, he founded the Website Tho
Tan Hinh Thuc supporting Post Modernism and New
Formalist poetry, and in 2006 published
an anthology of New Formalist poetry: Blank Verse – Tho Khong Van.. The anthology includes two hundreds and thirteen poems by
sixty-four poets, and of which sixty-eight of the poems are English
translations, translated by Do Vinh.
Vietnamese love poetry
from traditional pre-war period to new formalism
Khe Iem’s Bio
Translator DO VINH:
Do Vinh is pseudonym of Joseph Do Vinh Tai, who
was born in Vietnam in 1968, immigrated with his family to the US in 1975,
and studied at the University of Washington, from where he graduated BS in
Political Science. He started in the literary community in 1980, and
subsequently became active in the literary circles of the Pacific Northwest
from the mid 1980’s to the early 1990’s. His poetry and writings have
appeared in Tien Rong, The New Asian Journal, The Seattle Weekly, The Vietnam
Forum of Yale University, Nguoi Viet and Viet Bao daily newspapers, Vien
Dong, Van hoa, Viet Weekly, and Tap chi Tho. His debut collection of poetry
‘Green Plums’ was published in 2005. In the same year, he worked in close
collaboration with poet Khế Ięm on the anthology-in-progress BLANK
VERSE/ Thơ Không Vần as a translator. He was responsible for the
Blank Verse’s English section, and translated into English 68 poems in the
anthology, which includes 162 poems by 64 contemporary Vietnamese poets. The
anthology was published by Tan Hinh Thuc Publishing Club in May 2006.
Đỗ Vinh’s first published translation appeared in Wordbridge and
The Writers Post in 2005 with his translation of Khe Iem’s ‘Contemporary
Vietnamese Poetry on the path of transformation - A portrait of Vietnamese
Literature’ (Wordbridge 6 Spring 2005, The Writers Post Volume 7 Number 1
Jan. 2005). He is currently living in Central Valley, California.
Vietnamese love poetry
from traditional pre-war period to new
formalism
˙
RETURN TO CONTRIBUTORS ˙
Do Vinh’s Bio
NGOC’S JOURNEY
Short
story by Song Thao
Translated
by Thien Nhat Phuong & Kelli Craig Dang
Ngoc’s journey
Translator KELLI CRAIG DANG
 Kelli Craig Dang has
been an award-winning writer since age 12 and took 1st place in a national
collegiate essay contest sponsored by Meusa at age 20. Graduated as a
registered dietician, she also completed an editing and proofing certificate
while writing articles for both college and Seattle publications. She is now
living with her husband in Arizona, and is working on her first book.
˙
RETURN TO CONTRIBUTORS ˙
Kelli Craig
Dang’s Bio
Translator
THIEN NHAT PHUONG
 Thien Nhat Phuong, pseudonym of Douglas Van Dung, born in 1937 in
Ha Dong, North Vietnam, translator, social worker in the State of Washington
(1975-2002), former teacher at Vietnamese American Association School and
several high schools in Vietnam before 1975. Thien Nhat Phuong received his BA. in Education from
Saigon University, Faculty of Pedagogy (1962), and his MSW from University of
Washington (1993). As a translator, he translated into Vietnamese ‘The end of
the affair’ by Graham Green (Vietnam: Khai Tri, 1965), ‘A good scent from the
strange mountain’ by Robert Olen Butler (US, Seattle: North West News Weekly,
1993), and into English ‘Truong khuc me ve bien Dong’ by Du Tu Le / ‘Tributes
To Mother On The Way Home Via Pacific Ocean’ (co-translator with Tran Le
Khanh – US, Garden Grove: HT Productions, 2002).
˙
RETURN TO CONTRIBUTORS ˙ Thien Nhat Phuong’s Bio
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Song Thao, pseudonym of Ta Trung Son, short story writer,
born in Ha-Noi (North Vietnam) in 1939. He began to write in early 1991. His
debut Bo Chon Mu Suong, a collection of stories published by Kinh Do in 1993
was followed by Dong Dua Cuoc Tinh (story. TX: Ngay Nay, 1996), Con Do Bong
Hinh (story. CA: Van Moi, 1997), Chan Mang Giay So 6 (story. CA: Van Moi,
1999), Cuoi Ngay Mot Lan Ngoi Lai (story, CA: Van Moi, 2000), Ben Lung Nhung
Con Chu (story. CA: Van Moi, 2003), and Chon Cu (story. CAN: Nhan Anh, 2006).
He is also the author of four books of non-fiction: Phiem 1, Phiem 2, Phiem
3, and Phiem 4. His works were republished in many anthologies in USA and
Canada: Viet Thuong Anthology 2000, Hai Muoi Nam Van Hoc Vietnam Hai Ngoai
1975-1995 (Vietnamese Pen, 1995), Hai Muoi Nguoi Viet Tai Canada (Nang Moi, 1995),
and Hai Muoi Nam Van Hoc Vietnam Hai Ngoai 1975-1995 (Dai Nam 1995). He
contributed to numerous established literary magazines: Van Hoc, Van, Hop
Luu, The Ky 21, Song Van, Nang Moi, Lang Van, The Writers Post, and
Wordbridge. He is living in Canada.
˙
RETURN TO CONTRIBUTORS ˙
Ngoc’s journey
Song
Thao’s Bio
THE UC TRAI GOURD
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
A
poem by Song Ho, translated by the author
The Uc Trai gourd musical instrument
 SONG HO, born in 1932, is a poet and
a journalist. He began his writing career in 1952 in Hanoi (North Vietnam)
and became a journalist after his resettling in 1954 in Saigon (South
Vietnam), where he contributed to numerous newspapers, radio broadcast. His
most recent book of poems, Da va Hoa, was published by Huong Duong Publisher
(1992), after Tho Song Ho, a collection of poems, published by Khai Tri
Publisher (Saigon, 1964). Hai Canh Hoa Tim, his first book of poetry, was
published in 1960. Rock and Flower, an English-language version of Da va Hoa
translated by Song Ho is published in 2000. Some of the poems in this
translation version had been published in anthologies or magazines, including
Transformed (On the Threshold Of A Dream, 1988), Sunday morning (American
Poetry Anthology 1988), A Secular tree (Many Voices and Many Lands, 1989),
Once more being a baby (Best New Poets Of 1988, under the title Once more to
be a baby.), Lunar Eclipsed Night (Love's Greatest Treasures), The Seasons
(Days Of Future's Past), On the Blue Dragon Hill (Selected Poets Of The New
Era 1989) Real Golden Sun (The World's Largest Poem For Peace, UN 1991),
Finer, Grass & Man, Man & Grass (Song Van Magazine -issue
8&9/1997), That is the difference but the same, Who gives to me, A pink
lily (Song Van -issue 10/1997), Turning around ceaselessly, Chrysanthemum,
Creation (Song Van, issue 11/1997), The Mountain (Song Van, 1999), Secular
tree (Song Van, 1999).
˙
RETURN TO CONTRIBUTORS ˙ The Uc Trai gourd
musical instrument Song
Ho’s Bio
STARE ME
UNBELIEVABLE
THE IMMORTAL MOUTH
Three
poems by Mai Van Phan, translated by Do Xuan Oanh
Three
poems by Mai Van Phan
 Mai
Van Phan, born in
1955 in Ninh Binh, Red River Delta, North Vietnam, member of Vietnam Writer’s
Association, winner of some awards for poetry in the provincial and national
competition. Mai Van Phan’s Giot Nang (Sun Drop), a
collection of poems published by Hoi Van Hoc Nghe Thuat Thanh Pho Hai Phong
/’The Literature and Arts Association of Hai Phong City’ in 1992, was
followed by Goi Xanh /Calling Green poetry collection (Vietnam: Hoi Nha Van
Vietnam /Vietnam
Writer’s Association, 1995), Cau Nguyen Ban Mai (Morning
Prayer – poetry collection. Hai Phong, Vietnam: Hai Phong Publisher, 1997),
Nghi Le Nhan Ten (Name Giving Ceremony – poetry collection. Hai Phong,
Vietnam: Hai Phong Publisher, 1999), Nguoi Cung Thoi (People in the same Era
– epic. Hai Phong, Vietnam: Hai Phong
Publisher, 1999), Vach Nuoc (Water wattle - poetry collection. Hai Phong,
Vietnam: Hai Phong Publisher, 2003). His poems also
appeared in more than 30 anthologies, including FULCRUM 3 published in the
US; in many journals published in Vietnam, including the monthly VAN of the
Vietnam Writer’s Association of Ho Chi Minh City, which is under the
editorship of Anh Duc, editorial address: 81 Tran Quoc Thao – Q.3 – TP. Ho
Chi Minh (Anh da roi, Van: Xuan Mau Dan 1998, Thanh pho Ho Chi Minh 12.1997 –
1.1998); and in the magazines and Vietnamese language websites published
abroad, including “Thi Luan” Magazine (S. Korean) and TIEN VE, an
online centre for literature and the arts, based in
Australia.
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