Every day I come all the same (i)
from poet Hoàng Trung Thông and the Foreign Languages Publishing House
every day I come to hear you speak of prisons every day I come all the same and yet: how to hear you
I only can look at your children some look at me, small pairs of eyes all round with curiosity others cross arms politely bow to greet me I can’t but look at your children so wasted so small to already have known prison I look and all your children look at me too without a word some waving a hand smiling others laid out without a sound in cradles I leave them I weep
every day I come all the same
This is the first Viet Nam letter of exactly 1 so far addressing Mireille Gansel’s translation “Chaque jour je viens quand même” with poet Xuân Diệu and editor Hữu Ngọc from the work of poet Hoàng Trung Thông.
We also have written once only on the 3 friends’ translation “Les fleurs s'ouvrent sur ta tombe” by poet Thanh Hai on February 7, 2023, and on “Questions sous terre” from poet Tế Hanh on December 9, 2022.
We have twice sent letters on their translation “Être mère au Viet Nam” by poet Chế Lan Viên, the first on November 30, 2022, and the second on December 27, 2022.
We twice have addressed as well their translation “Poème des chauffeurs de camion sans pare-brise” by poet Phạm Tiến Duật, first on December 18, 2022, the again on January 8, 2023.
We have written letters as well about Sang et Fleurs, her collection of translations with Xuân Diệu from poet Tố Hữu. We sent the first of 5 on February 28, 2023, the second on March 3, 2023, the third on March 9, 2023, the fourth on March 12, 2023, and the fifth on March 24, 2023.
We have written once so far about her recollection and study of translation, Traduire Comme Transhumer.
Viet Nam letters respects the property of others under paragraph 107 of United States Code Title 17. If we asked for permission it wouldn’t be criticism. We explain our fair use at length in the letter of September 12, 2022.
The colophon of these Viet Nam letters, directly above, shows the janitor speaking with poet David A. Willson on a Veterans Day.