One of our Indonesian contributors would rather not have his stuff (re)posted on this blog.
But for all you curious types: i, shatter and thetruthaboutjakarta
—pay these blogs a visit and he will love you forever.
[Above photo from “old flagfall, new triptych” on thetruthaboutjakarta.]
Chamaiporn Bangkombang of the Thai Writers Association has been instrumental in connecting us with a lot of young Thai writers. Several works are now in the process of translation by our trusty volunteer Thai translators Vipavinee Artpradid and Kate Pattamanivat.
Courtesy of Typhoon Books, we also have a short story written and translated by Prabda Yoon and a manga by Wisut Ponnimit. Among many other talents, Wisut is also a self-taught animator. Here’s his music video for インストバンド by Japanese instrumental band SAKEROCK:
A selection of Vietnamese poetry translated by Wikivietlit Editor Linh Đinh will be appearing in the forthcoming anthology. These poems will also be in The Deluge: New Vietnamese Poetry, tentatively scheduled for publication by Chax Press in 2008.
Meanwhile, here’s a sample:
Phan Bá Thọ was born in Da Nang in 1972, and now lives in Ho Chi Minh City. “A faded, empty organism,” he once described himself. After being unemployed for 60 months, 8 days and 4 hours, he’s now working as a lawyer. The author of the samizdats, “Vertical Movement” (2001) and “Endless Trash Pile,” his poems appear regularly in many print and web journals.
Nude Self Portrait
to thuy hang & kim hoa
if only I could slip into the ground [or] run disappearing
into something, it’d be fantastic
yesterday I was stripped naked in the middle of a highway, 80,000 people
like metaphors and are unclear about motives
pity only to the small children who were present
very difficult, lecturing on how to mix a cocktail
with a handful of crooked bones / wrinkled lines
convoluted and sad + plus
the natural rudeness of the curious mob
people inspected my body / up down and sideway randomly
they saw in my armpit… yes, nothing but a forest with trees
straight, chopped down, completely burnt
with two eyes yellowed by beer froth & unbelievably horny, yesterday
I – was – stripped – naked – on – a – mat – torn
ragged & reeking a foul smell
(too many people glorify this filth)
they touched my hair / cheek nose & beckoned others
I saw a group of american soldiers, toying with their mouths
saddam’s hair gleefully
I became jealous of him / I thought, he’s truly happy
those in white coats liked to confirm the dna / because they’ve heard
to be that mad, one must eat horses’ balls
what could they read on my body
they could become wiser than that, a little… yes, if
they’d pry my mouth open
they’d probably see a prick I’ve been sucking for a long time, big and tall, inside
Wei Hui said: this object can spin 360 degrees & should be used
once and thrown away
but I prefer Mian Mian*
[both sort of crazy and sane]
but, very importantly / the marvelous quality in her:
fuck first, pay later / love – being in debt, also good
*Wei Hui and Mian Mian are contemporary Chinese writers
Translated from the Vietnamese by Linh Dinh
[The above poem also appeared in the Brazilian poetry journal SIBILA. So if that whets your appetite, click here for more. Horse balls…yummmm…]
Call for Submissions
MPH GROUP PUBLISHING is pleased to announce an open call for submissions of short fiction and creative non-fiction for an anthology tentatively entitled Urban Odysseys: Stories About Kuala Lumpur. We aim to publish the anthology in 2008, depending on the number of submissions that we receive.
The theme of the anthology will focus on life in the city, specifically Kuala Lumpur, with writings that show images of the new juxtaposed against the old, urban living with contrasting bright lights and shadowy realities and other short fiction or creative non-fiction which best encapsulate the spirit of the national capital. This is not a travel book but an anthology of literary writings about the city.
Stories must be original, between 3,000 and 5,000 words, and must not have been previously published. We invite submissions from both emerging and established writers. Stories for children are not eligible for this compilation. Manuscripts must be edited, typed double-spaced with 12pt font and e-mailed to mphpublishing@mph.com.my. Please include your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address. You may submit as many pieces as you wish. Faxed or handwritten submissions will not be entertained and manuscripts will not be returned. We will contact you only if your piece has been selected for inclusion in the compilation. Writers whose submissions are selected will be expected to work with the editors to fine tune their stories.
Deadline: 31 January 2008
Payment: A small flat fee and two copies of the anthology
[NOTE: The editors (Janet Tay and MPH Publishing senior editor Eric Forbes) will take stories from all nationalities, but the stories have to be about Kuala Lumpur and should “encapsulate the spirit of the city.”]
southeast asian literature project 