Tran Quoc Thuc
PROMETEO
Revista Latinoamericana de Poesía
Número 81-82. Julio de 2008.
A SHORT ANTHOLOGY
OF VIETNAMESE POETRY
Tran Quoc Thuc
1948-2007
Two Afternoons
Late yesterday afternoon, you gave me your smile by this tree
This afternoon, another girl gives the same smile to another man.
Late yesterday evening, many raindrops fell down this tree
This afternoon, the rain has gone,
The tree looks different.
Late yesterday afternoon, many couples made their way towards us along this small path,
This afternoon, no one comes, they have gone away.
Late yesterday afternoon, the little girls and boys who were busy lifting their fishing nets, inched towards us
This afternoon, they slip away, far away.
Late yesterday afternoon, there was an envious star
looking at the Earth
This afternoon, I go to find that star
It turns away from me.
Translated by Nguyen Bao Chan & Harry Aveling.