America Lopez Montoya

To my Friend
By: Nguyen Trai


My fate naturally has many twists and sharp turns,

So in everything I trust in the wisdom of God.
I still have my tongue—believe me, I am able to talk,
Even though I’m still poor and, as we know, pathetic.
Never to return, the past flies too quickly and the time is short,
But, wandering in this cold room, the night is far too long.
I’ve been reading books for ten years, but I’m poor from clothes to bone
From eating only vegetables and sitting without a cushion. 

 https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-a-friend-41/

Picture

Image result for old letter

The poem revolves around a letter sent to a friend. This picture shows a letter.

Nguyễn Trãi


Nguyen Trai was a Vietnamese poet. He was also a Confucian scholar. He was friends with the King. He was born during the year 1380 and died during the year 1442 at 62 years old.

Paraphrase

Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 12, 2019 at 3:41 PM

    In this poem the speaker is sending a letter to his friend, he is explaining his fate throughout this letter. The speaker starts by announcing he trusts the wisdom of God. we can assume that the rest of the poem is going to be the hardships that this speaker has gone through, because the speaker has reassured their ‘friend’ that they trust God and his choices. I agree with America when she says that the narrator sounds like an older man who is reflecting upon his life. The poet uses many metaphors to relate his life to a road with many twists and turns. The tone of the poem seems very melancholy because the speaker is describing his hard life.

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    Replies
    1. AnonymousFebruary 12, 2019 at 3:50 PM

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  2. AnonymousFebruary 12, 2019 at 3:51 PM

    I agree with your analysis that the poem was written in the perspective of an old man who knows that the end of his life is nearing. While I agree that the overall tone of the poem is candid, I think there is an underlying sadness and isolation. But, while the author conveys this sense of isolation, I think he feels at peace. I also agree that his phrase, "the past flies too quickly." is talking about how time can move so fast. With that said, I think that he is saying this to convey his sense of solitude, almost as if he feels that everyone else has moved on except him. He feels at peace with death because he knows that he will see those who he loves again.

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  3. AnonymousFebruary 12, 2019 at 4:40 PM

    Though this poem could be interpreted as a letter, it seems more like he may already be dead. He's wandering in a "cold room" talking about fate and his belief in god. That cold room could be an actual cold room, or it could be a box in the ground. He also claims he is "never to return," and that the night is very long. This entire poem may be the unheard thoughts from the grave.

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  4. AnonymousFebruary 13, 2019 at 1:32 PM

    I agree with the interpretation of the letter being written to a friend. When the speaker says, "wisdom of God," I believe the old man was very religious and down to earth. The old man was not lucky with the situations in his life. The letter was to tell his friend about his situations and how he regrets them. The author/ the old man is grateful for what he has even through rough times.

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