Nguyen Trai (1380-1442) Vietnam Nguyen Trai is considered among the most notable classical poets of the Southeast Asian nation of Vietnam. Born at a time when Vietnam was still dominated by neighboring China, Nguyen Trai helped repel a Chinese invasion and was instrumental in rebuilding his war-torn land. A scholar as well as a soldier and politician, he produced the first major treatment of the geography of Vietnam and pioneered literature composed in the native Vietnamese language. His poetry, written late in life, helped establish the principles of Vietnamese verse. The Bamboo Hut Nguyen Trai Translated from the Vietnamese by Nguyen Ngoc Bich with Burton Raffel and W. S. Merwin A bamboo hut and a plum tree bower— That's where I spend my days, far from the world's talk. For meals, only some pickled cabbage, But I've never cared for the life of damask and silk. There's a pool of water for watching the moon, and land to plow into flowerbeds. Sometimes I feel inspired on snowy nights— That's when I write my best poems, and sing. 1. damask [dam'ask]: thick reversible fabric made of threads woven into elaborate patterns. The Lines; Literal 1.      Where does the speaker spend his days?  What is he far from?  What has he never cared for? 2.      What happens sometimes on snowy nights? Between the Lines; Interpreting 3.      What does the speaker mean by the “life of damask and silk”? 4.      What things in the poem suggest are needed for human happiness?  What things does it suggest are not necessary? 5.      What does the poem suggest are the sources of poetic creativity? Beyond the Lines; Extending 6.      Are material possessions and economic success needed in today's society? 7.      Does the author's lack of material possessions make him unsuccessful?  Are the poorer countries in Asia unsuccessful?