A short partial translation of a very long well-known poem

The writer in his early twenties was dreaming of a bright future for Vietnam when Viet minh ( Viet cong) proclaimed independence of Vietnam from the French; Ho chi minh read the Declaration of Independence on 9/2/1945 in Hanoi. But then in another Autumn morning the author realized the truth.

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Abhorrent Fields- by Nguyễn Chí Thiện

But one morning of Autumn (*)

The inexperienced bright eyes of youth

Which had been beguiled

In the effulgent red star flag

Where blues, greens, and pinks would radiate

in beloved motherland

Saw

Deception roll out

Unseen-before brutality, evil were born,

grew monstrously

Pillars of the nation shook violently

The sun of life

Vomited

Pools and pools of blood

Oh, dear seasons’ crops of hard work

Were flooded and turned into swamps

Red waves after waves

of barbaric incarnation

Drowned the past and future

Blood

Tear

Sweat

Spit

Going, or returning (**)

Deformed as through hell—

Unrecognizable

Fear widened, engulfed

Dead arrest, speechlessness surfaced

History turned back the clock

To the age of tigers, leopards, snakes, scorpions,

fangs and tongues protruding

Killing committees and courts

Rose in the thousands

Under morning sunshine.

(*) : implying the evil August of 1945 in the Autumn, when Vietminh, the pre-existence of Vietcong, claimed they had been the leaders and representatives of the people of Vietnam.

(**) : Going to jail, or returning home.

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“Đồng Lầy”

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Nhưng rồi một sớm mùa Thu trở lại Tuổi hai mươi mắt nhìn đời trẻ dại Ngỡ Cờ Sao rực rỡ Tô thắm màu xứ sở yêu thương Có ngờ đâu giáo giở đã lên đường Hung bạo phá bờ kim cổ Tiếng mối rường rung đổ chuyển non sông Mặt trời sự sống Thổ ra Từng vũng máu hồng Ôi tiếc thương bao mùa lúa vun trồng Một Mùa Thu nước lũ Trở thành bùn nước mênh mông Lớp lớp sóng hồng Man dại Chìm trôi quá khứ tương lai Máu Lệ Mồ hôi Dớt dãi Đi về ai nhận ra ai Khiếp sợ Sững sờ Tê dại! Lịch sử quay tít vòng ngược lại Thời hùm beo rắn rết công khai Ngàn vạn đấu trường mọc dậy giữa ban mai

... NCT