Firmament - Le Cercle Littéraire - Thế Hữu Văn Đà n - The Literary ...

Firmament Volume 4, No. 1, April 2011 5To The ReaderDear Friend and Reader,On Professor Trần Ngọc Ninh's erudite treatise Cơ Cấu Việt Ngữ (The Structure of Vietnamese)Professor Đàm Trung Pháp, in his review, brings to bear the most up-to-date thinking on the universalprinciples governing language structure and linguistic theory. It is a pleasure to read about thescientific study of language discussed with such scholarly rigor.The wistful refrain Mais où sont les neiges d'antan?, which reverberates since the Renaissance,and has the Romantics claim François Villon as a precursor, is examined at some depth by Phạm TrọngLệ in a very readable analysis of this highly educated man, who fell on hard times before leaving man'sken without a trace.To change pace, Phí Minh Tâm discusses in detail versification rules of Đường (T'ang) poetryfor Sino-Vietnamese classicists. Don't miss this thorough and informative treatment.I know of no one who has traveled as extensively to all continents as Sóng Việt Ðàm Giang.Therefore, trust her to bring you the salty air of Baltic Poland and land-locked Hungary sitting on theblue Danube, which Vienna's favorite son Johann Strauss rhapsodized in a timeless waltz. And if youstill hunger for foreign climes, follow Minh Thu to the Venice of the North, the pearl called Amsterdam(she did not forget to mention the red-light district close by the Old Church), or Dã Thảo to la douceurangevine that fills Joachim du Bellay's nostalgic Regrets.Bính Hữu Phạm, as usual, is ravishing, this time by his stories of chance and luck. If you are ofa mathematical bent, get into probability and have fun, but woe to any man who thinks he can beat theodds in gambling. He is fairly warned by our conteur.Kathie Phạm delves into the purity of incipient love between two simple souls in a rustic settingwith the exquisite skill of a keen observer.Have you ever asked how a medieval trade fair at Scarborough became involved in an anti-warsong during the Viet Nam War? Who else but our researcher Sóng Việt Ðàm Giang, whose curiositywas piqued, who undertook to shed light on this unlikely link!And if you want to be enchanted by songs of happiness, let Dã Thảo introduce you to LuisMariano. While she does not guarantee happiness, she can say you will be charmed by his voice.Our Poetry Corner, a favorite hangout for lovers of beauty, is populated with the sweetness andfragrance from the lines of Kim Châu, Hoàng Tâm, David Lý Lãng Nhân, Nguyễn Ngọc Cảnh. MinhThu, André Lưu, Sóng Việt Ðàm Giang, Tương Mai Cư Sĩ, and Thanh Trà Tiên Tử. Several of thesame names appear again in our tersest of all poetry, the Haiku, with Kim Châu leading the procession.Remember how Alceste was disgusted with mankind? Come with Minh Thu as she gives youthe last three acts of The Misanthrope along with her translations of Australian authors.To music lovers, Nguyễn Vinh offers the scores of his song Dòng Thơ and a YouTube link toenjoy the music. Soothing for the nerves and calming for the soul.Finally, Thomas Le examines the myth of Oedipus and tries to make sense of his struggleagainst fate and the oracle of the gods. Is Oedipus an existentialist?Now that spring is in the air, and Demeter smiles again, for Persephone is finally at her sideafter a long imprisonment in the dark Tartarus, why don't you devote some quality time to theincomparable adventure that only Firmament can bring you? ■Thomas D. LeApril 2011To join Thế Hữu Vǎn Ðàn, please link to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thehuuvandan/joinThế Hữu Vǎn Ðàn's web site: http://thehuuvandan.org.Send comments and submissions to thomasle22@yahoo.com.