By — Tom LeGro Tom LeGro Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/dissident-vietnamese-poet-nguyen-chi-thien-dies-at-age-73 Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Dissident Vietnamese Poet Nguyen Chi Thien, Author of ‘Flowers of Hell,’ Dies at Age 73 Arts Oct 8, 2012 12:01 PM EDT Nguyen Chi Thien, a Vietnamese dissident poet who spent 27 years in communist prisons and was the acclaimed author of “Flowers of Hell,” died last week in California after a long bout of illness. Earlier today I spoke to Dan Duffy, editor and publisher of the Viet Nam Literature Project, about Nguyen’s life, work and influence. Duffy also read Nguyen’s poem “My Verses,” which is from “Flowers of Hell,” the manuscript which brought Nguyen fame around the world. The poem was translated by Nguyen Ngoc Bich. My Verses My verses are in fact no verses They are simply Life’s sobbings Dark prison cells opening and shutting The dry cough of two caving in lungs The sound of earth coming down to bury dreams The exhumation sound of hoes bringing up memories The chattering of teeth in cold and misery The aimless contractions of an empty stomach The hopeless beat of a dying heart Impotence’s voice in the midst of collapsing earth All the sounds of a life not deserving half its name Or even the name of death: No verses are they! You can read more of Nguyen’s work at the Viet Nam Literature Project. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Tom LeGro Tom LeGro
Nguyen Chi Thien, a Vietnamese dissident poet who spent 27 years in communist prisons and was the acclaimed author of “Flowers of Hell,” died last week in California after a long bout of illness. Earlier today I spoke to Dan Duffy, editor and publisher of the Viet Nam Literature Project, about Nguyen’s life, work and influence. Duffy also read Nguyen’s poem “My Verses,” which is from “Flowers of Hell,” the manuscript which brought Nguyen fame around the world. The poem was translated by Nguyen Ngoc Bich. My Verses My verses are in fact no verses They are simply Life’s sobbings Dark prison cells opening and shutting The dry cough of two caving in lungs The sound of earth coming down to bury dreams The exhumation sound of hoes bringing up memories The chattering of teeth in cold and misery The aimless contractions of an empty stomach The hopeless beat of a dying heart Impotence’s voice in the midst of collapsing earth All the sounds of a life not deserving half its name Or even the name of death: No verses are they! You can read more of Nguyen’s work at the Viet Nam Literature Project. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now