VietNamNet Bridge – “Những vì sao đen” (Black Stars) by Vietnamese poet Ngo Tu Lap is one of ten poetry collections shortlisted in the category of PEN Award for Poetry Translation.

The three-part collection has over 40 bilingually translated poems. Part I comprises works published in 1997, featuring the war, the childhood and the youth of the author.

With pieces released in 2001, part II tells a man's perspective about the roots. Part III includes his latest pieces, describing humankind’s destiny.

Ngo Tu Lap was born in 1992. He is a poet, translator, and a critic. He graduated from the Maritime University in Russia and now works at the International Department of Hanoi National University.

Black Stars collection written by Lap is translated into English by USA’s Martha Collins and published by American publisher Milkweed in October 2013.

PEN International was founded in 1921. Currently, it has over 100 member centres around the world.

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