A strange, ticklish feeling on my neck,
Under the eaves, an infatuated, smiling gaze.
Pham Thi Hong Thu, a poetess from Vietnam, shares her poetry
Pham Thi Hong Thu is a poet and a retired teacher currently residing in Hanoi. She is a member of the Hanoi Writers’ Association. She has published several poetry collections, including: Into the Land of Memories, Colors of Dusk, Whispering Heart, Thi, Oh Thi!, Leaning on a Verse – published by the Vietnam Writers’ Association Publishing House. Additionally, she is the author of “Ancient Vietnamese Tales” – published by Women’s Publishing House and Youth Publishing House. Her poems have appeared in various central and local newspapers and magazines. She has received several literary awards, specifically: Consolation Prize in the “Social Commentary Essay Writing and Prompt Design Competition” organized by Literature & Youth Magazine in 2010. Prize C in the “Literary and Artistic Creation Campaign” with the theme “Hanoi Innovates and Develops” by the Hanoi Union of Literature and Arts Associations in 2024.
Life’s but a Handspan
Life’s but a HandspanA strange, ticklish feeling on my neck,
Under the eaves, an infatuated, smiling gaze.
Fate’s design, how clever!
Who’d have thought one could live but a finger’s breadth,
Wintering more each day.
A small, lovely wildflower
Drawing in countless ravenous gazes,
Floating with joy
Mr. To and Ms. Nguyet* quickly spun our fate,
Regret…
Water fern drifting, clouds floating.
(* These are the Vietnamese deities of marriage and matchmaking, similar to Cupid.)
***
Biting the bullet
Is there anyone like her?
Gentle as earth, kind as a tile, naive as Mr. Khoai
Her two shoulders bear all tasks
Trustworthy, dependable
Night after night, listening to the melancholic gecko’s cry.
***
They were captivated by each other from the first glance
Dizzy, electrocuted
Blind, hypnotized
Life isn’t a dream, what she saw and heard, she still couldn’t believe
Storms flooded the path
To suffer in silence.
***
The roof leaks from the top
A newly built house, but the roof is shaky
Afraid it’ll blow away, tried to re-roof it
She roofed this side, the wind tore at the other
Helpless
Full of sorrow, bitter pain.
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