\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u1ee8ng T\u1ea5u Ch\u1edbp\/Flash Jam<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Ngu\u1ed3n: \u0110\u00e3 \u0111\u0103ng tr\u00ean Trao \u0110\u1ed5i Qu\u1ed1c T\u1ebf v\u1ec1 Ph\u00e1t Minh Thi Ca<\/strong><\/em> (International Exchange for Poetic Invention<\/em><\/strong>, http:\/\/poeticinvention.blogspot.com\/2007\/04\/speechless.html<\/a>) (Th\u1ee9 S\u00e1u, April 20, 2007)<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Speechless<\/strong> \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Kh\u00f4ng L\u1eddi<\/strong> \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n He came at roughly the Beaver\u2019<\/span>s age, learnt our language word by word, each syllable mangled, botched, before being straightened out, finally, but some sounds would remain elusive, even towards the end, whimpers and bangs. \u201cKill ’em all, let God sort ’em out.\u201d \u201cWe\u2019re going to bomb them back into the Stone Age.\u201d \u201cKick ass then go home.\u201d Beneath a nuclear mushroom: \u201cMade in America, tested in Japan.\u201d There are so many cool ones. When he tried to talk, he mumbled, \u201cas if he had something in his mouth,\u201d which made them guffaw and shout, \u201cGo back to China,\u201d a generic taunt I\u2019ve heard more than once, of course. “You talkin’ to me? Hey, I said, Are you talkin’ to me?”<\/p>\n There was nothing he could do about his unusual eyes, nose and mouth, short of violence, but he could have changed his name to \u201cJoe\u201d or something, placate them a little, betray his good will. By college, he had enough Anglo-Saxon, Latinated gibberish roiling in his head to entertain the funky, desperate notion that he could become a writer, an American one. Holy shit, no joke, say what? Feeling queer about it, a naked impostor, he pretended to be a business major. “Do you write in Korean? Chinese? Mongolian?” At last, he\u2019d open those lips and flash his never-seen tongue.<\/p>\n He could never join, only look. He was a looker only, only he wasn\u2019t a looker. He didn’t want to be looked at, actually, especially his looking eyes, which he hid behind shades. Through a digital pinhole, he checked the scenery beneath tables, to examine seams, pleats, ruffles, anything tucked beneath anything else, fuzz, scars, socks, pom-poms, pores, he measured hips. True, everyone else just mostly looked also\u2014this is, after all, a land of tireless oglers and vigilantes\u2014but occasionally they could mesh into a resistant something or other, after a six pack, a cognac or a vodka. He shared their values, totally, only he couldn\u2019t get none, until that moment when he finally dashed across the landmined border, to join his peers on the other side. After this catharsis, we all got plenty to look at, between the car, Coke and bullshit commercials.<\/p>\n Why couldn\u2019t he be like Hen Ly, or Henry Lee, one of his victims? Fresh off the boat, Henry just grinned, untied his tongue, snatched most of the awards, became a salutatorian. \u201cImagine sitting in class not knowing the language, now I am number two.\u201d Why couldn\u2019t he be like Bruce Lee, or Donald Trump, for that matter? Hell, why couldn\u2019t he be like Linh Dinh, who was poised enough to write these calm lines:<\/p>\n Refrain<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Well, then, if an alien object, something tiny<\/em> [from \u201cJam Alerts<\/a>,\u201d Chax Press, 2007]<\/em><\/p>\n <\/em>Judging from his plays, Cho Seung-hui never nicked his target. Judging from his acts, he was as American as, well, too many to mention. Pumping iron, cropping his hair short, flipping his black baseball cap backward, in a black T-shirt, he finally looked like he belonged, an Army of One, ready for action. Bring ’em on.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n H\u1eafn \u0111\u1ebfn \u0111\u00e2y l\u00fac h\u1eafn \u1edf c\u00f9ng l\u1ee9a tu\u1ed5i v\u1edbi th\u1eb1ng Beaver, h\u1ecdc ng\u00f4n ng\u1eef c\u1ee7a ch\u00fang ta, phi\u00ean \u00e2m t\u1eebng ch\u1eef m\u1ed9t, v\u1ee5n v\u1ee1, n\u00e1t b\u00e9t, tr\u01b0\u1edbc khi ch\u00fang \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c nhu\u1ea7n nhuy\u1ec5n, nh\u01b0ng v\u1eabn c\u00f2n nh\u1eefng \u00e2m thanh m\u01a1 h\u1ed3, cho \u0111\u1ebfn l\u00fac h\u1ea1 m\u00e0n, r\u00ean r\u1ec9 tr\u1ed9n l\u1eabn v\u1edbi p\u00e0ng p\u00e0ng. <\/em>\u201cH\u00e3y gi\u1ebft h\u1ebft ch\u00fang n\u00f3, r\u1ed3i \u0111\u1ec3 Ch\u00faa ph\u00e2n bi\u1ec7t [ng\u01b0\u1eddi l\u00e0nh v\u1edbi qu\u00e2n d\u1eef.]\u201d \u201cCh\u00fang ta s\u1ebd b\u1ecf bom n\u01b0\u1edbc n\u00e0y cho quay v\u1ec1 Th\u1eddi \u0110\u1ea1i \u0110\u1ed3 \u0110\u00e1. \u201c\u0110\u00e1 \u0111\u00edt r\u1ed3i v\u1ec1 nh\u00e0.\u201d \u1ede d\u01b0\u1edbi m\u1ed9t \u201cn\u1ea5m kh\u00f3i\u201d bom nguy\u00ean t\u1eed, \u201cCh\u1ebf t\u1ea1o \u1edf Hoa K\u1ef3, th\u1eed nghi\u1ec7m t\u1ea1i Nh\u1eadt B\u1ea3n.\u201d Nhi\u1ec1u kh\u1ea9u hi\u1ec7u ng\u1ea7u l\u1eafm. Khi h\u1eafn c\u1ed1 l\u00ean ti\u1ebfng, h\u1eafn ch\u1ec9 l\u1ea7m b\u1ea7m, \u201cnh\u01b0 ng\u1eadm g\u00ec trong mi\u1ec7ng,\u201d l\u00e0m b\u1ecdn ch\u00fang c\u01b0\u1eddi l\u0103n v\u00e0 h\u00f2 h\u00e9t, \u201cV\u1ec1 T\u00e0u \u0111i,\u201d m\u1ed9t l\u1eddi tr\u00eau gh\u1eb9o \u0111\u1ea1i lo\u1ea1i, nh\u1ea1t th\u1ebfch m\u00e0 ch\u00ednh t\u00f4i \u0111\u00e3 nghe th\u1ea5y kh\u00f4ng ch\u1ec9 m\u1ed9t l\u1ea7n, d\u0129 nhi\u00ean. \u201cM\u00e0y n\u00f3i tao h\u1ea3? \u00ca, m\u00e0y n\u00f3i tao g\u00ec dz\u1eady?\u201d<\/p>\n Ngo\u00e0i gi\u1ea3i ph\u00e1p hung b\u1ea1o, h\u1eafn kh\u00f4ng th\u1ec3 l\u00e0m g\u00ec v\u1ec1 c\u1eb7p m\u1eaft, m\u0169i, c\u00e1i mi\u1ec7ng kh\u00e1c th\u01b0\u1eddng c\u1ee7a h\u1eafn, nh\u01b0ng h\u1eafn \u0111\u00e3 c\u00f3 th\u1ec3 \u0111\u1ed5i t\u00ean c\u1ee7a h\u1eafn, th\u00e0nh \u201cJoe\u201d ch\u1eb3ng h\u1ea1n, \u0111\u1ec3 l\u1ea5y l\u00f2ng b\u1ecdn ch\u00fang, t\u1ecf ra l\u00e0 h\u1eafn c\u0169ng c\u00f3 thi\u1ec7n ch\u00ed. L\u00fac tr\u1edf th\u00e0nh sinh vi\u00ean \u0111\u1ea1i h\u1ecdc, h\u1eafn \u0111\u00e3 c\u00f3 \u0111\u1ee7 nh\u1eefng t\u1eeb Angl\u00f4-X\u1eafcx\u00f4ng, La Tinh h\u1ea7m b\u00e0 l\u1eb1ng trong \u0111\u1ea7u \u00f3c \u0111\u1ec3 t\u1ef1 cho m\u00ecnh m\u1ed9t \u00fd nguy\u1ec7n ng\u00f4ng cu\u1ed3ng l\u00e0 h\u1eafn c\u00f3 th\u1ec3 tr\u1edf n\u00ean m\u1ed9t nh\u00e0 v\u0103n, m\u1ed9t nh\u00e0 v\u0103n Hoa K\u1ef3. Ch\u00faa c\u1ee9t \u01a1i, n\u00f3i g\u00ec v\u1eady, chuy\u1ec7n \u0111\u00f9a? H\u1eafn c\u1ea3m th\u1ea5y d\u1ecb h\u1ee3m, m\u1ed9t t\u00ean ng\u1ee5y trang l\u00f5a l\u1ed3, n\u00ean gi\u1ea3 v\u1edd l\u00e0 \u0111ang h\u1ecdc th\u01b0\u01a1ng m\u1ea1i. \u201cM\u00e0y vi\u1ebft v\u0103n b\u1eb1ng ti\u1ebfng \u0110\u1ea1i H\u00e0n? Ti\u1ebfng T\u00e0u? Ti\u1ebfng M\u00f4ng C\u1ed5?\u201d Cu\u1ed1i c\u00f9ng, h\u1eafn s\u1ebd m\u1edf mi\u1ec7ng v\u00e0 th\u00e8 c\u00e1i l\u01b0\u1ee1i ch\u01b0a ai t\u1eebng th\u1ea5y.<\/p>\n H\u1eafn ch\u1eb3ng bao gi\u1edd c\u00f3 th\u1ec3 ho\u00e0 nh\u1eadp, m\u00e0 ch\u1ec9 c\u00f3 th\u1ec3 nh\u00ecn. H\u1eafn ch\u1ec9 l\u00e0 ng\u01b0\u1eddi nh\u00ecn, nh\u01b0ng kh\u00f4ng \u0111\u1ee7 b\u1ea3nh bao \u0111\u1ec3 tr\u1edf th\u00e0nh \u0111\u1ed1i t\u01b0\u1ee3ng c\u1ee7a c\u00e1i nh\u00ecn. Th\u1eadt s\u1ef1, h\u1eafn kh\u00f4ng mu\u1ed1n ai nh\u00ecn h\u1eafn, nh\u1ea5t l\u00e0 nh\u00ecn \u0111\u00f4i m\u1eaft \u0111ang nh\u00ecn c\u1ee7a h\u1eafn \u0111\u00e3 \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c che k\u00edn qua m\u1eaft k\u00ednh r\u00e2m. Qua l\u1ed7 h\u1ed5ng b\u00e9 b\u1eb1ng \u0111\u1ea7u kim t\u1eeb \u0111i\u1ec7n tho\u1ea1i digital<\/em>, m\u1ea5y ng\u00f3n tay h\u1eafn ch\u1ee5p h\u00ecnh th\u1eafng c\u1ea3nh d\u01b0\u1edbi g\u1ea7m b\u00e0n, soi m\u00f3i n\u1ebfp g\u1ea5u qu\u1ea7n, \u00e1o, \u0111\u0103ng ten, \u0111\u01b0\u1eddng x\u1ebfp, b\u1ea5t c\u1ee9 m\u1ecdi th\u1ee9 b\u1ecb che d\u1ea5u b\u1edfi nh\u1eefng th\u1ee9 kh\u00e1c, nh\u1eefng ch\u1ed7 v\u1ea3i b\u1ecb s\u1eddn, nh\u1eefng v\u1ebft s\u1eb9o, b\u00ed t\u1ea5t, l\u00fac l\u1eafc pom pom<\/em> d\u00ednh v\u00e0o b\u00ed t\u1ea5t, l\u1ed7 ch\u00e2n l\u00f4ng; h\u1eafn c\u0169ng \u0111o m\u00f4ng. \u0110\u00fang, m\u1ecdi ng\u01b0\u1eddi, b\u1ea5t c\u1ee9 ai kh\u00e1c c\u0169ng ch\u1ec9 nh\u00ecn\u2014\u0111\u00e2y l\u00e0 giang s\u01a1n c\u1ee7a nh\u1eefng con ng\u01b0\u1eddi hau h\u00e1u, canh ph\u00f2ng, theo d\u00f5i kh\u00f4ng ng\u1eebng ngh\u1ec9–nh\u01b0ng \u0111\u00f4i l\u00fac h\u1ecd c\u0169ng \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c nho\u00e0 kh\u1edbp v\u00e0o m\u1ed9t c\u00e1i g\u00ec nh\u00fan m\u1ec1m, sau khi u\u1ed1ng m\u1ea5y lon bia six-pack<\/em>, nh\u00e2m nhi v\u00e0i ly vodka hay c\u00f4-nh\u1eafc. H\u1eafn c\u0169ng \u0111\u1ed3ng t\u00e2m v\u1edbi h\u1ecd, nh\u01b0ng ch\u1eb3ng \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c x\u00e0i <\/em>m\u1eb9 g\u00ec, tr\u1eeb l\u00fac h\u1eafn v\u01b0\u1ee3t qua ranh gi\u1edbi b\u1eaby m\u00ecn, \u0111\u1ec3 k\u1ebft h\u1ee3p v\u1edbi \u0111\u1ed3ng l\u1ee9a t\u1ea1i b\u00ean kia cu\u1ed9c \u0111\u1eddi. Sau v\u1ee5 t\u1ea9y ru\u1ed9t<\/em> c\u1ee7a h\u1eafn, ch\u00fang ta \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c coi nhi\u1ec1u m\u00e0n ly k\u1ef3 tr\u00ean TV, \u1edf gi\u1eefa nh\u1eefng phim qu\u1ea3ng c\u00e1o xe h\u01a1i, C\u00f4-Ca C\u00f4 La, v\u00e0 nh\u1eefng m\u00f3n ph\u1ed5i b\u00f2 kh\u00e1c.<\/p>\n Sao h\u1eafn kh\u00f4ng th\u1ec3 nh\u01b0 Hen Ly, ho\u1eb7c Henry Lee, m\u1ed9t trong nh\u1eefng n\u1ea1n nh\u00e2n c\u1ee7a h\u1eafn? V\u1eeba b\u01b0\u1edbc ra kh\u1ecfi khoang t\u00e0u, Henry ch\u1ec9 c\u01b0\u1eddi tr\u1eeb, ch\u1ec9nh l\u1ea1i c\u00e1i l\u01b0\u1ee1i, \u0111o\u1ea1t nhi\u1ec1u gi\u1ea3i th\u01b0\u1edfng, \u0111\u1ee9ng h\u1ea1ng nh\u00ec trong l\u1edbp khi ra tr\u01b0\u1eddng. \u201cB\u1ea1n c\u1ee9 t\u01b0\u1edfng t\u01b0\u1ee3ng ng\u1ed3i trong l\u1edbp m\u00e0 h\u1ed5ng bi\u1ebft n\u00f3i ti\u1ebfng M\u1ef9, nh\u01b0ng gi\u1edd nay tui l\u00e0 s\u1ed1 hai.\u201d Sao h\u1eafn kh\u00f4ng th\u1ec3 nh\u01b0 Bruce Lee, hay cao xa h\u01a1n, Donald Trump? Qu\u1ec9, <\/em>sao h\u1eafn kh\u00f4ng nh\u01b0 \u0110inh Linh, ng\u01b0\u1eddi \u0111\u1ee7 s\u0129 kh\u00ed \u0111\u1ec3 ph\u00e1c h\u1ecda nh\u1eefng l\u1eddi b\u00ecnh t\u0129nh sau \u0111\u00e2y:<\/p>\n \u0110i\u1ec7p Kh\u00fac<\/strong><\/p>\n Th\u00f4i th\u00ec, n\u1ebfu m\u1ed9t v\u1eadt xa l\u1ea1, th\u1eadt nh\u1ecf,<\/p>\n D\u00f9 ch\u1ec9 l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t h\u1ea1t d\u1ed1i tr\u00e1, tri\u1ec1n mi\u00ean<\/p>\n B\u1ecb k\u1eb9t c\u1ee9ng trong \u0111\u1ea7u, kh\u00f4ng c\u00f2n c\u00e1ch n\u00e0o<\/p>\n Ngo\u00e0i b\u1eafn c\u00e1i \u0111\u00f9 m\u1eb9. C\u1eb7p m\u1eaft ta c\u0169ng<\/p>\n Xa l\u1ea1 v\u1edbi ta, khi\u1ebfm khuy\u1ebft c\u1ee7a ch\u00fang ng\u0103n ch\u1eadn<\/p>\n Cu\u1ed9c \u0111\u00e0m tho\u1ea1i \u0111\u00e3 th\u1ea3m b\u1ea1i c\u1ee7a ta v\u1edbi hi\u1ec7n th\u1ef1c,<\/p>\n C\u00e1i h\u1ed3 n\u00e0y, nh\u1eefng ch\u1ed7 th\u1ea7m k\u00edn kia. V\u00ec v\u1eady,<\/p>\n Ta ph\u1ea3i b\u1eafn th\u1ee9 \u0111\u00f9 m\u1eb9.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n \n
\n<\/strong>\u0110inh Linh<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/strong>\u0110inh T\u1eeb B\u00edch Th\u00fay chuy\u1ec3n ng\u1eef<\/em><\/p>\n\n \n
\nEven, like a grain of bullshit, is persistently<\/em>
\nLodged within the brain, there\u2019s nothing to do<\/em>
\nBut to shoot the motherfucker. My eyes<\/em>
\nAre alien to me, their defects hindering<\/em>
\nMy already dire discourse with the real,<\/em>
\nThis lake here, them privates. That\u2019s why<\/em>
\nI must shoot the motherfuckers.<\/em><\/p>\n\n