My verses are in fact no verses (i)

from poet Nguyen Chi Thien at Viet Nam Literature Project

My verses are in fact no verses. Many readers who admired the man agreed with the poet.

They are simply Life’s sobbings. The man suffered 30 years in camps where his fellow poets starved and worked to death. A dissident of no distinction, he proved a genius in the martial art of defiance, master of the life force, a phenomenon, prisoner without compare.

Many readers who so recognized him also thought him a dancing dog as a poet, wonderful to see, but hardly the premier danseur, not a member of the corps de ballet of the lettered. They run a club and must uphold standards. Do you?

Dark prison cells opening and shutting The dry cough of two caving in lungs The sounds of earth coming down to bury dreams The exhumation sound of hoes bringing up memories

Do those sound to you like verses?

The chattering of teeth in cold and misery The aimless contractions of an empty stomach The hopeless beat of a dying heart Impotence’s voice in the midst of collapsing earth

Well, these sentiments have a beat. Many beats, and a final stop. I think they are verses.

All the sounds of life not deserving half its name Or even the names of death. No verses they!

What do you think? Do you agree with my friend the poet, or with the prisoner?

This was the second Viet Nam letter of 3 so far addressing a translation from the work of our good friend the late poet Nguyen Chi Thien. The first, There is nothing beautiful about my poetry, went out on June 29, 2022, and the third, I will visit your home, went out July 27, 2022.

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.