Viewing Cac-Co Cavern

Heaven and earth brought forth this rocky mass

its face cut by a deep crevasse

crack's dark mouth shagged with moss

pines rocking in wind rush.

Here sweet water spatters down

and the path into the cleft is dark.

Praise whoever sculpted stone

then left it bare for all to see.

Here is another translation of the same poem:

Yin and Yang created this chunk of rock;

A deep and dark crack split it into two blocks.

Moss covered openings expose themselves with impudence

Wind enhanced firs produce sound of rhythmic cadence.

Drops of romantic water fall with splash

Roads to nowhere lead in dark labyrinth.

Praise to the scuptor inventing this distortion

Indecent exposure invites lots of observation.

translated from the Vietnamese by John Balaban