I
Many friends have chastised me for wasting time on the Champa language
how many can read it? Who will remember it?
but I want to squander my entire life serving it
even if there’re only half a dozen people
even if there’s only one
or no one!

II
A proverb – a line of folk poetry
half a children’s song – a page of ancient poetry
I find and pick up
like a child a tiny pebble
(pebbles that adults carelessly step over)
to build a castle just for me to live in
a castle they’ll need someday to shelter from the rain – I’m certain!

III
Flowers give off fragrance
no one smells – flowers emit into the wind
birds sing songs
no one hears – songs that fly all over the air
my soul reveals its gift
but you won’t accept it – my sentiment rots.

IV
Purple flowers bloomed on my childhood knoll
the forest’s gone
bald and desolate knoll
just for me perhaps this solitary evening
the bare branches are still trying to bud.

V
Like a look backward of a son going to war
after building a home for his aging mother
like a look backward of a true monk
after building a temple for true believers
an itinerant field worker
hit the road while looking back at the tender rice stalks blooming

VI
What did ocean say to shore, as shore cuddled ocean?
thank you generous shore for your open arms
what did bee say to flower, as flower gave bee its stamen?
thank you flower for your bounty
what did tree say to earth, as tree gave shade to earth?
thanks for teaching me about receiving
and us
what do we say to each other, as we give each other hands, lips and glances?
what will I say to you?
what will you say to me?

VII
A growth of young trees eagerly sprouting on the moor
but their roots are not deep in the earth
only one storm is needed
to rip them up.

VIII
The old sunny hill’s deserted
the buffalo bell has stopped clacking
where’s the forest for buffalos to get lost in?
wearing the bell the buffalo scowled
now the road’s blank and smooth
remember the bell – the buffalo’s sad.

IX
Her skin somewhat pale – she denied she was Champa
a few months overseas – he didn’t admit to being Vietnamese
out of self-respect – Karl Jaspers didn’t consider himself German
Henry Miller rejected America – because of his hatred of war
there is a huge gap between not admitting and rejecting.

X
A flashing glimpse from the father
half a smile from the mother
and your two distant hands
among the vastness of our native sunshine
are asking me where else can one find heaven?

translated by Dinh Linh.