(Cordially  offered to my  family members, 
friends and compatriots actually  settling overseas)
 
The time goes too quickly.
Twelve months that have just been existing
                                                   recently
Have become something of the Past,
Leaving behind all of us lots of memories.
                          *
People on the Earth have gone through so many 
                                                      events
Occurring on two ways : good and bad,
Human beings, properties were  spent
For purposes worth to be sad,
Blood and tears have created large rivers.
At the same time, uncountable victories
Have been realized with dignity.
                          *
Sitting alone at quiet midnight,
With all my heart, I’m thinking about my
                                              resident country,
To my native one beyond the Pacific Ocean,
With so many unforgettable memories,
To others, suffering great miseries:
Wars, disasters, suppressions  and poverties.
                          *
I had spent most of my life
For the struggles of people’s Freedom, 
                               Democracy, Happiness,
Being detained in various kinds of prisons.
So, I’ve found  identified heroes
Who fought bravely much more than I did.
Now, over seven decades of living,
I’m still nurturing a wish :
Peace, Prosperity, Freedom will come
To all people in this world  in Blissfulness. 
 

San Diego, California 
Phan Duc Minh
(Member of the International Society of Poets)
 

Phoûng dòch:

Nguyeän Öôùc Ñaàu Naêm 

(Meán taëng ngöôøi thaân trong gia ñình, baïn höõu 
vaø ñoàng baøo cuaû toâi hieän ñang ñònh cö nôi haûi ngoaïi)
                           *
Thôøi gian troâi, mau quaù töïa maây bay,
Möôøi hai thaùng, cöù ngôõ nhö laømôùi ñaây,
Maø sao thaám thoaét ñaõ thaønh dó vaõng,
Boû laïi ñaèng sau  daáu veát thaùng ngaøy.
                           *
Loaøi ngöôøi traûi qua bieát bao bieán coá
Toát ñeïp cuõng nhieàu, xaáu xa cuõng coù,
Ngöôøi cheát, nhaø tan ,trí nhôù ngaäp ñaày,
Cho nhöõng ñöôøng ñi…nghó thaáy buoàn thay.
Nöôùc maét, maùu xöông soâng nuùi cao daày.
Song cuõng thaät nhieàu thaønh coâng vó ñaïi,
Saùng danh nhaân loaïi treân traùi ñaát naøy. 
                           *
Ñeâm muoän moät mình, caàm buùt ngoài ñaây 
Taâm hoàn suy nghó veà ñaát nöôùc naøy,
Nghó ñeán Coá Höông, mòt muø xa thaúm,
Vôùi nhieàu kyû nieäm bieát bao ñaèm thaém, 
Ñeán nhöõng vuøng ñaát khoå ñau chìm ñaém :
Chieán tranh, aùp böùc, ngheøo khoå ñoïa ñaày.
                            *
Toâi ñaõ ñi qua phaàn lôùn cuoäc ñôøi,
Trong nhieàu cuoäc chieán, giam giöõ nhieàu nôi,
Öôùc mô Töï Do, Haïnh Phuùc khoâng thoâi.
Gian khoå, vinh quang, cho thaáy ñieàu naøy:
Nhieàu göông duõng caûm, thaät ñaùng phuïc thay !
Hôn baåy möôi naêm ñöôïc soáng laøm ngöôøi,
Loøng toâi mong öôùc maõi maõi khoâng thoâi:
Hoaø Bình, Thònh Vöôïng, Töï Do seõ ñeán
Vôùi heát moiï ngöôøi soáng treân traùi ñaát ,
Trong ñoù coù caû ñoàng baøo yeâu quyù cuaû toâi.
 

San Diego, California
Phaïm Ngoïc Nhieãm