‘S\u00f4ng I Sing,’ the debut poetry collection by Bao Phi, with cover art by Binh Danh<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n <\/p>\n
Vina ngo\u00e1i nh\u00ecn k\u1ebb b\u1ea1i tr\u1eadn m\u1eb7t xanh nh\u01b0 t\u00e0u l\u00e1
\nV\u00ec lu\u00f4n l\u00e0 th\u1ebf, ph\u1ee5 n\u1eef Vi\u1ec7t Nam s\u1ebd n\u00f3i l\u1eddi sau c\u00f9ng
\nv\u00e0 n\u00f3i r\u1eb1ng
\nn\u1ebfu mi c\u00f2n ch\u01b0a nh\u1eadn ra
\nth\u00ec \u0111\u00e2y ho\u00e0n to\u00e0n l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t
\nCu\u1ed9c \u0111ua
\nv\u00e0 mi \u0111\u00e3 thua.<\/p>\n
“Race” (Ch\u1ee7ng t\u1ed9c) t\u1eeb cu\u1ed1i c\u00f9ng trong b\u00e0i th\u01a1 kh\u00e9p l\u1ea1i t\u1eadp th\u01a1 ‘S\u00f4ng I Sing.’<\/p>\n
V\u1edbi B\u1ea3o Phi, th\u01a1 n\u00f3i l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t ph\u01b0\u01a1ng ti\u1ec7n thi ca tuy\u1ec7t v\u1eddi. L\u1ed1i c\u00e2u c\u1ea7u khi\u1ebfn \u0111\u00e3 cho ph\u00e9p c\u00e1i phong c\u00e1ch kh\u1eb3ng kh\u00e1i v\u00e0 t\u00ednh h\u00f3m h\u1ec9nh c\u1ee7a ng\u01b0\u1eddi ngh\u1ec7 s\u0129 n\u00e0y \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c tha h\u1ed3 v\u00f9ng v\u1eaby v\u00e0 gi\u00fap v\u1ea7n th\u01a1 \u0111i \u0111\u1ebfn g\u1ea7n v\u1edbi \u0111\u1ecdc gi\u1ea3 h\u01a1n bao gi\u1edd h\u1ebft. Khi \u0111\u00e3 t\u1eadn m\u1eaft chi\u00eam ng\u01b0\u1ee1ng s\u1ef1 t\u00e0i hoa c\u1ee7a ng\u01b0\u1eddi ngh\u1ec7 s\u0129 n\u00e0y, b\u1ea1n m\u1edbi hi\u1ec3u t\u1ea1i sao t\u1eeb l\u00fac 15 tu\u1ed5i anh \u0111\u00e3 l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t nh\u00e0 bi\u1ec3u di\u1ec5n th\u01a1 (ng\u00e2m th\u01a1) v\u00e0 ngh\u1ec7 s\u0129 th\u01a1 n\u00f3i \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c ch\u00e0o \u0111\u00f3n n\u1ed3ng nhi\u1ec7t \u1edf nhi\u1ec1u c\u00e2u l\u1ea1c b\u1ed9 th\u01a1 ca v\u00e0 li\u00ean t\u1ee5c \u0111\u1ea1t gi\u1ea3i th\u01b0\u1edfng trong c\u00e1c h\u1ed9i thi Nuyorican, Minnesota Grand Slam (H\u1ed9i th\u01a1 Minnesota), v\u00e0 Macalester Cultural House Poetry Slam (H\u1ed9i th\u01a1 c\u1ee7a Nh\u00e0 V\u0103n h\u00f3a \u0111\u1ea1i h\u1ecdc Macalester). N\u0103m 2003, B\u1ea3o Phi xu\u1ea5t hi\u1ec7n trong ch\u01b0\u01a1ng tr\u00ecnh Def Poetry c\u1ee7a \u0111\u00e0i HBO, bi\u1ec3u di\u1ec5n b\u00e0i th\u01a1 You Bring Out the Vietnamese in Me (Em l\u00e0m s\u1ed1ng d\u1eady h\u1ed3n Vi\u1ec7t trong t\u00f4i) \u2013 m\u1ed9t\u00a0b\u1ee9c th\u01b0 t\u00ecnh cho n\u1ec1n v\u0103n h\u00f3a v\u00e0 di s\u1ea3n Vi\u1ec7t Nam (l\u00fac \u1ea5y anh kho\u00e1c tr\u00ean m\u00ecnh chi\u1ebfc \u00e1o mang d\u00f2ng ch\u1eef \u201cVietnamese Ph\u1edf Ever\u201d (Ph\u1edf Vi\u1ec7t Nam mu\u00f4n n\u0103m)). T\u00f4i \u0111\u00e3 hai l\u1ea7n l\u00e0m kh\u00e1n gi\u1ea3 c\u1ee7a B\u1ea3o Phi t\u1ea1i San Francisco: l\u1ea7n \u0111\u1ea7u v\u00e0o n\u0103m 2008 t\u1ea1i Fort Mason trong s\u1ef1 ki\u1ec7n San Francisco Vietnamese Poetry Festival of the Diaspora (Li\u00ean hoan Th\u01a1 c\u1ee7a c\u1ed9ng \u0111\u1ed9ng ki\u1ec1u b\u00e0o t\u1ea1i San Francisco) do DVAN t\u1ed5 ch\u1ee9c, v\u00e0 l\u1ea7n th\u1ee9 hai v\u00e0o n\u0103m 2011 t\u1ea1i \u0111\u1ea1i h\u1ecdc Qu\u1ed1c Gia San Francisco trong H\u1ed9i th\u1ea3o Re-SEAing Southeast Asian American Studies (Nghi\u00ean c\u1ee9u ph\u1ee5c h\u1ed3i b\u1ea3n s\u1eafc cho c\u00e1c c\u1ed9ng \u0111\u1ed3ng \u0110\u00f4ng Nam \u00c1 t\u1ea1i M\u1ef9) \u2013 tr\u01b0\u1edbc \u0111\u00f3 c\u1ed9ng t\u00e1c vi\u00ean Valerie Soe \u0111\u00e3 vi\u1ebft b\u00e0i b\u00ecnh lu\u1eadn v\u1ec1 bu\u1ed5i tr\u00ecnh di\u1ec5n n\u00e0y. C\u1ea3 hai l\u1ea7n nghe B\u1ea3o Phi bi\u1ec3u di\u1ec5n th\u01a1, t\u00f4i \u0111\u1ec1u c\u1ea3m th\u1ea5y r\u1ea5t \u1ea5n t\u01b0\u1ee3ng v\u1ec1 l\u00f2ng ch\u00ednh tr\u1ef1c, s\u1ee9c m\u00e3nh li\u1ec7t v\u00e0 s\u1ef1 h\u00f9ng h\u1ed3n trong t\u1ee9 th\u01a1 c\u0169ng nh\u01b0 c\u00e1ch tr\u00ecnh di\u1ec5n c\u1ee7a anh. Nh\u1eefng ng\u00f4n t\u1eeb trong th\u01a1 c\u1ee7a anh lu\u00f4n \u0111\u1eb9p \u0111\u1ebd, s\u1eafc s\u1ea3o\u00a0v\u1edbi \u00e2m \u0111i\u1ec7u h\u00e0i h\u00f2a. D\u00f9 \u0111\u1ecdc\u00a0th\u01a1 c\u1ee7a anh tr\u00ean gi\u1ea5y th\u00ec ta v\u1eabn\u00a0c\u00f3 th\u1ec3 c\u1ea3m nh\u1eadn\u00a0\u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c s\u1ef1 g\u1ea7n g\u0169i, nh\u1ecbp nh\u00e0ng, l\u1eabn c\u00e1ch ng\u1eaft h\u01a1i ng\u1eaft nh\u1ecbp\u00a0m\u00e0 t\u00e1c gi\u1ea3\u00a0g\u1eedi g\u1eafm v\u00e0o \u0111\u1ea5y. Th\u01a1 c\u1ee7a anh th\u01b0\u1eddng ch\u1ee9a \u0111\u1ea7y nh\u1eefng v\u1ebft s\u1eb9o th\u01b0\u01a1ng \u0111au nh\u01b0ng \u1ea9n\u00a0s\u00e2u b\u00ean trong l\u1ea1i l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t\u00a0t\u00ecnh y\u00eau b\u1ea5t di\u1ec7t d\u00e0nh cho qu\u00ea h\u01b0\u01a1ng. B\u00e0i th\u01a1 The Nguy\u1ec5ns (Anh em h\u1ecd Nguy\u1ec5n) l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t b\u00e0i th\u01a1 nh\u01b0 th\u1ebf. B\u00e0i th\u01a1 n\u00e0y \u0111\u00e3 \u0111\u1ec3\u00a0l\u1ea1i \u1ea5n t\u01b0\u1ee3ng kh\u00f3 phai \u0111\u1ed1i v\u1edbi nh\u1eefng th\u00ednh gi\u1ea3\u00a0t\u1eebng c\u00f3 m\u1eb7t t\u1ea1i Fort Mason v\u00e0o n\u0103m 2011. C\u1ea3\u00a0kh\u00e1n ph\u00f2ng v\u1ee1 \u00f2a l\u00ean nh\u1eefng ti\u1ebfng c\u01b0\u1eddi th\u00edch th\u00fa khi nghe \u0111\u1ebfn \u0111o\u1ea1n mi\u00eau t\u1ea3 nh\u00e2n v\u1eadt Nguy\u1ec5n Vi\u1ec7t trong b\u00e0i th\u01a1, m\u1ed9t ng\u01b0\u1eddi \u201cc\u1ef1c k\u1ef3 \u0111\u1eadm ch\u1ea5t Vi\u1ec7t Nam\u201d, \u0111\u1ebfn m\u1ee9c c\u00f4 \u1ea5y ch\u1ec9\u00a0h\u1eb9n h\u00f2 v\u1edbi ng\u01b0\u1eddi Vi\u1ec7t Nam v\u00e0 l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t ng\u01b0\u1eddi l\u01b0\u1ee1ng gi\u1edbi \u201c\u0111\u1ec3\u00a0c\u00f4 \u1ea5y c\u00f3 th\u1ec3\u00a0y\u00eau m\u1ed9t\u00a0ng\u01b0\u1eddi Vi\u1ec7t Nam b\u1ea5t k\u1ec3\u00a0gi\u1edbi t\u00ednh\u201d?! Qu\u1ea3\u00a0th\u1eadt \u0111\u00e2y l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t s\u1ef1 chung th\u1ee7y \u0111\u00e1ng ng\u01b0\u1ee1ng m\u1ed9\u00a0l\u1eafm thay, Nguy\u1ec5n Vi\u1ec7t \u00e0! (C\u00e1c b\u1ea1n nh\u1edb \u0111\u1eebng nh\u1ea7m l\u1eabn nh\u00e2n v\u1eadt n\u00e0y v\u1edbi T\u1ed5ng bi\u00ean t\u1eadp Nguy\u1ec5n Vi\u1ec7t c\u1ee7a diaCRITICS \u0111\u1ea5y nh\u00e9.)<\/p>\n
T\u1eadp th\u01a1 \u0111\u1ea7u tay \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c mong \u0111\u1ee3i t\u1eeb l\u00e2u n\u00e0y c\u1ee7a B\u1ea3o Phi \u0111\u00e3 mang lu\u1ed3ng gi\u00f3 th\u01a1 tr\u1edf l\u1ea1i v\u1edbi nh\u1eefng ai ch\u1eb3ng m\u1ea3y may quan t\u00e2m \u0111\u1ebfn n\u1ec1n v\u0103n h\u00f3a Vi\u1ec7t \u2013 M\u1ef9. M\u1eb7c d\u00f9 t\u1eadp th\u01a1 \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c \u0111\u1ec1 t\u1eb7ng chung cho \u201c\u0111\u1ed3ng b\u00e0o ng\u01b0\u1eddi M\u1ef9 g\u1ed1c \u00c1 c\u1ee7a t\u00f4i\u201d, m\u00e0 r\u00f5 r\u00e0ng l\u00e0 anh n\u00f3i \u0111\u1ebfn nh\u1eefng m\u1ed1i b\u1eadn t\u00e2m c\u1ee7a c\u1ea3 c\u1ed9ng \u0111\u1ed3ng ng\u01b0\u1eddi M\u1ef9 g\u1ed1c \u00c1, nh\u01b0ng l\u1eddi hai \u00fd c\u1ee7a t\u1eeb \u0111\u1ea7u ti\u00ean trong t\u1ef1a \u0111\u1ec1 l\u1ea1i nh\u01b0 \u0111ang b\u1eadt l\u00ean ti\u1ebfng g\u00e0o to v\u1edbi c\u1ed9ng \u0111\u1ed3ng ng\u01b0\u1eddi Vi\u1ec7t, v\u00ec s\u00f4ng ngh\u0129a l\u00e0 d\u00f2ng s\u00f4ng trong ti\u1ebfng Vi\u1ec7t. Trong b\u00e0i th\u01a1 \u201cYou Bring Out the Vietnamese in Me\u201d (Em l\u00e0m s\u1ed1ng d\u1eady h\u1ed3n Vi\u1ec7t trong t\u00f4i), nh\u00e0 th\u01a1 \u0111\u00e3 s\u1eed d\u1ee5ng h\u00ecnh \u1ea3nh hai con s\u00f4ng l\u1edbn c\u1ee7a qu\u00ea h\u01b0\u01a1ng l\u00e0 S\u00f4ng H\u01b0\u01a1ng v\u00e0 S\u00f4ng M\u00ea K\u00f4ng \u0111\u1ec3 nh\u1eafc nh\u1edf ch\u00fang ta r\u1eb1ng t\u1eadp th\u01a1 n\u00e0y l\u00e0 s\u1ef1 k\u1ebft n\u1ed1i c\u00e1i qu\u00e1 kh\u1ee9 \u2018\u1edf \u0111\u00e0ng kia\u2019 c\u1ee7a ng\u01b0\u1eddi t\u1ecb n\u1ea1n v\u1edbi c\u00e1i hi\u1ec7n t\u1ea1i \u2018\u1edf \u0111\u00e0ng n\u00e0y\u2019 \u2013 c\u00e1i hi\u1ec7n th\u1ef1c \u0111\u1ed3ng hi\u1ec7n \u2018\u1edf trong n\u1ed9i t\u1ea1i\u2019. Nh\u01b0 nh\u00e0 v\u0103n William Faulkner t\u1eebng n\u00f3i: \u201cQu\u00e1 kh\u1ee9 kh\u00f4ng ch\u1ebft \u0111i. Th\u1eadm ch\u00ed n\u00f3 kh\u00f4ng h\u1ec1 qua \u0111i.\u201d S\u1ef1 tr\u1ea3i nghi\u1ec7m n\u00e0y ho\u00e0n to\u00e0n ph\u00f9 h\u1ee3p v\u1edbi c\u1ed9ng \u0111\u1ed3ng ng\u01b0\u1eddi M\u1ef9 g\u1ed1c Vi\u1ec7t. Trong \u201cFor Us\u201d (D\u00e0nh Cho Ch\u00fang Ta), b\u00e0i th\u01a1 khai t\u1eadp c\u1ee7a \u201cS\u00f4ng I Sing\u201d, B\u1ea3o Phi vi\u1ebft:<\/p>\n
D\u00e0nh t\u1eb7ng cho nh\u1eefng ai c\u00f3 gia \u0111\u00ecnh ba ch\u00ecm b\u1ea3y n\u1ed5i
\nL\u00fac nh\u1eefng ng\u01b0\u1eddi \u0111\u00e0n \u00f4ng, \u0111\u00e0n b\u00e0 c\u00f2n m\u00e3i ngh\u0129 suy v\u1ec1 n\u1ed7i bu\u1ed3n chi\u1ebfn tranh
\nTh\u00ec \u0111\u00e3 qua r\u1ed3i nh\u1eefng v\u1ebft s\u1eb9o k\u1ebdm gai
\nD\u00e0nh cho nh\u1eefng ai v\u1edbi qu\u00ea h\u01b0\u01a1ng nhu\u1ed1m m\u00e0u kh\u00f3i l\u1eeda v\u00e0 m\u00e1u \u0111\u1ed5 x\u01b0\u01a1ng tan
\nNh\u1eefng \u00e1nh \u0111\u1ea1n ch\u00f3i l\u00f2a x\u00e9 n\u00e1t c\u00e1nh \u0111\u1ed3ng xanh
\nTr\u00e1i tim ai \u0111\u1ed3ng h\u00ecnh \u0111\u1ed3ng d\u00e1ng
\nnh\u01b0 n\u1ea5m m\u1ed3 ch\u00f4n c\u1ea5t m\u1ecdi ng\u01b0\u1eddi th\u00e2n<\/p>\n
Ch\u1ec9\u00a0m\u1ed9t \u0111o\u1ea1n th\u01a1 gi\u00e0u t\u00ednh li\u00ean t\u01b0\u1edfng n\u00e0y th\u00f4i c\u0169ng \u0111\u00e3 \u0111\u1ee7\u00a0kh\u01a1i g\u1ee3i v\u00f4 v\u00e0n c\u1ea3m x\u00fac trong l\u00f2ng nh\u1eefng ng\u01b0\u1eddi c\u00f3 gia \u0111\u00ecnh b\u1ecb\u00a0li t\u00e1n v\u00ec chi\u1ebfn tranh, nh\u1eefng ng\u01b0\u1eddi ch\u1ecbu n\u1ed7i \u0111au m\u1ea5t \u0111i ng\u01b0\u1eddi th\u00e2n hay m\u1ed9t ph\u1ea7n th\u00e2n th\u1ec3. Ch\u00fang ta \u0111ang trong v\u00f2ng tay c\u1ee7a gia \u0111\u00ecnh nh\u01b0ng ch\u00fang ta v\u1eabn c\u00f3 th\u1ec3 th\u1ea5u c\u1ea3m khi nghe B\u1ea3o Phi k\u1ec3\u00a0v\u1ec1 \u0111\u1ed3ng b\u00e0o m\u00ecnh, \u201cnh\u1eefng ng\u01b0\u1eddi \u0111\u00e0n \u00f4ng v\u00e0 \u0111\u00e0n b\u00e0\u00a0 c\u00f2n m\u00e3i ngh\u0129 suy v\u1ec1 n\u1ed7i bu\u1ed3n chi\u1ebfn tranh\u201d. Ch\u00fang ta x\u00edch l\u1ea1i g\u1ea7n h\u01a1n \u0111\u1ec3\u00a0l\u1eafng nghe l\u1eddi an \u1ee7i v\u00e0 xoa d\u1ecbu c\u1ee7a anh, c\u1ea3m nh\u1eadn c\u1ee7a anh v\u1ec1 c\u00f4ng l\u00fd, kho\u1ea3ng l\u1eb7ng v\u1ee1 \u00f2a ra c\u1ee7a anh v\u00e0 s\u1ef1 b\u1ed9c b\u1ea1ch c\u1ee7a anh v\u1ec1 nh\u1eefng \u0111i\u1ec1u kh\u00f4ng sao th\u1ed1t ra th\u00e0nh l\u1eddi. L\u1eddi th\u01a1.<\/p>\n