by Ho Xuan Huong, also known as the Queen of Nom Poetry




Spring-Watching Pavilion



A gentle spring evening arrives
airily, unclouded by worldly dust.

Three times the bell tolls echoes like a wave.
We see heaven upside-down in sad puddles.

Love's vast sea cannot be emptied.
And springs of grace flow easily everywhere.

Where is nirvana?
Nirvana is here, nine times out of ten.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More about her poetry & some other poems:
http://ura.unisa.edu.au/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=unisa32757 (pdf)

More about Vietnamese poetry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_poetry






Poetry by Editorial Team The PoetBay support member heart!
Read 931 times
Written on 2014-12-18 at 00:30

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Lawrence Beck The PoetBay support member heart!
Nice!
2014-12-18



I like the intimate feel of this with the colloquial '9 times out of 10' ending. Thanks for posting.
2014-12-18


countryfog
Thank you for posting this . . . all these years I've not thought to explore Vietnamese poetry, now I'm going to remedy that.
2014-12-18