After two months of enthusiastic participation, the English–Vietnamese poetry translation contest “A Thousand Miles of Poetry” organized by The Dewey Schools has officially come to a close, marking a deeply inspiring journey of linguistic creativity by Dewey students. The contest received nearly 1,000 entries from passionate language and poetry lovers across the four campuses: Tay Ho Tay, Cau Giay, Hai Phong, and Ocean Park.
More than just a language competition, “A Thousand Miles of Poetry” served as an interdisciplinary learning activity, bridging English and Vietnamese Literature. Through the process, students honed their expression skills, expanded their vocabulary, and enriched their appreciation and command of Vietnamese in creative contexts. Translating poetry from English to Vietnamese encouraged students to naturally and flexibly connect the two languages.
From the timeless romantic verses of William Butler Yeats to profound works filled with humanism and the longing for freedom, TDSers delivered translations that were both delicate and faithful—capturing the spirit of the originals while preserving the innocence and clarity of youth. These works are a testament not only to the students’ linguistic abilities and sharp language instincts but also to their serious dedication and love for poetry.
The contest posed a true challenge for the judging panel in selecting the most exceptional translations. All entries left a strong impression—particularly on guest judge and professional translator Trần Nguyên. “Linguistically, the students performed very well—the translations were accurate and meaningful. The winning pieces stood out for their subtle poetic rendering: maintaining the essence of the original poem, creating rhythm, and employing flexible, skillful language use. Notably, some of the original poems were written in free verse—lacking a clear rhyme structure—making it even more challenging to create flow and cohesion in translation. Yet some students handled this with remarkable finesse, delivering translations rich in poetic quality and emotion,” shared translator Trần Nguyên.
We invite parents to enjoy these emotionally resonant translations by Dewey’s promising young translators in the photo collection below!
