User:Maivanphan

Biography Mai Van Phan:

Vietnamese Poet Mai Van Phan was Born 1955 in Ninh Binh, Red River Delta in North Vietnam. Mai Van Phan writes in his native language. The Vietamese language is emotional, expressive, precise, symbolic and metaphorical. His poems are rich with memories, experiences and strong emotions...Mai Van Phan unearths even deeper truth. His bilingual versions are translated from the poet's original writing, allowing the reader to see into Mai Van Phan's Vietnam. His words express the value of culture, spirit, traditions and customs of the Vietnamese people. Here, the poet speaks up about the joy and immense sadness that his people have been through. His poems illuminate and reveal poverty, diseases, suffering and backwardness while at the same time capturing the heart and soul and expressions of the Vietnamese people. His words move forward, just as his country is moving forward. The poet becomes part of social change. For it is said that the greater impact of the poet, the larger and more unique poetry atmosphere it can spread...the more positive effect it can cause to the society. The poet is the one who designs a structure for the society and nature in his own way. This rare honest insight is expressed freely in this long awaited book. Poet Mai Van Phan says, "We always have hope for a brighter future, like seeds that are sown in the darkness and move towards the light". He explores the mystery and complexity of human nature and the natural world. A radiant dawn, a worm in the leaf, and the sigh of a woman... Mai Van Phan sees the world through the eyes of a poet who can see into another world.

He has won several literary awards in Vietnam and published 21 books of poetry: Giot nang (Drops of Sunlight, 1992); Goi xanh (Calling to the Blue, 1995); Cau nguyen ban mai (Prayers to Dawn, 1997); Nghi le nhan ten (Ritual of Naming, 1999); Nguoi cung thoi (People of the Era, 1999); Vach nuoc (Water Wall, 2003); Hom sau (The Day After, 2009); va dot nhien gio thoi (and Suddenly the Wind Blows, 2009); Bau troi khong mai che (Vietnamese-only version of Firmament Without Roof Cover, 2010); Tho tuyen Mai Van Phan (Mai Van Phan: Selected Poems - essays and the interviews, 2011); hoa giau mat (hidden-face Flower, 2012); Bau troi khong mai che/ Firmament Without Roof Cover (bilingual 2nd edition, 2012), Vua sinh ra o do (Just Born There, 2013), Nhung hat giong cua dem va ngay/ Seeds of Night and Day (2013). ... His poems have also appeared in more than 50 anthologies, including Poetry NZ 36 (New Zealand) Poetry Kit Magazine 5 & 6 (British); Poesy Magazine 33, Fulcrum 3, The Writers Post volume 6, 7 & 8, Wordbridge (US); Poem and Comment Magazine (S. Korean); Softblow Poetry Journal (Singapore), Literature Newspaper (Indonesia); Tranan (Sweden). Selected poems have been translated into Albanian by Gjekë Marinaj in "Zanore në vesë/ Nhung nguyen am trong suong som". Mai Van Phan is pleased to announce his forthcoming book of new poems "Grass Cutting In The Temple Garden" to be published by Page Addie Press. Available on Amazon later in the year (2014).

(amazon.com/author/maivanphan)