When You Told Me That You Loved Me by Nguyen Thi Thuy Linh

 

When You Told Me That You Loved Me

The world will lose at least one word, one

expression

The night loses the meaning of night

It is the devoted burning of candles

I melt following its wax that lights my toes

And seeing outside darker and darker

A girl hides her face paved with broken bricks

A shadow of lonely soul runs over me scarily

A feeble kitty asks her mom for

breastfeeding in the reed

A bouquet of flowers has stopped breathing

on my hands

(Please let it breathe on the ground

Rather than being cut across the trunk for

romance)

Anyway, I am not as pellucid as a water drop

Do not put me higher than the petals

Somewhere in the forest of faith

Capturing the fellers

Let me reassure myself, let it grow green.

Your kisses sprinkle holy water on the

moonlight

I realize me indebted to the clouds not time

to light

Love takes a lot of breath in the universe

I just want to be as simple as insects

Love each other with the lyrics as lament

Making all whom not falling in love not to

disintegrate

Making darkness not to be thicker behind the

bright fire

Let blow out the candles and bury flowers in

a water vase!

I wish the world changes nothing when you

tell that you love me

So I lean on you and turn into a mint leaf...

Nguyễn

Thị

Translated from Vietnamese into English by

Nguyễn Thị Thùy Linh

Edited by Gjekë Marinaj

Biography

Nguyễn Thị Thùy Linh, born in 1991, is a poet and literary translator who now lives and works in Hai Phong city, Vietnam. She received her bachelor’s degree in economics from Hanoi National Economic University.

Her published works include the translated children’s story collection “The Twin Dolls to Earth” by Serbian writer Milutin Đuričković (Writers’ Association Publishing House, 2016), the translated poetry collection “The Wings of Darkness” by Saudi Arabian poet Raed Anis Al-Jishi (Writers’ Association Publishing House, 2018)… In addition, she has translated poems and short stories by various international authors, which have been introduced in Vietnamese literary newspapers and journals. Her poetry has been translated into many languages and featured in international literary journals and anthologies, such as “World Poetry Yearbook 2024” (Rubini Publishing, Cyprus), Anthology of Vietnam (Common Literature Period, India), “Asia Poetry Anthology” (Korea) and “Beneath the Shades of Time: Nameless Horizons” (GEER Publishing, Tirana), among others.

She was awarded “The Gold Moon of 6-8 poetry Prize,” the highest prize given by The Elder Newspaper and Website lucbat.com (co-organizer), under the auspices of Vietnamese Fatherland Front Central Committee and Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam. She won the second prize in a poetry contest awarded by “Văn nghệ quân đội” literary magazine for the years of 2015-2016. She has also received international certificates and commendations for her contributions to literature and inspiring works, awarded by SINDH COURIER Magazine (Pakistan), Wordsmith International Editorial, the Academy of International Culture and Literature, and others.