Home Literature/Poetry Value of Life – Poetry from Vietnam

Value of Life – Poetry from Vietnam

0
Value of Life – Poetry from Vietnam
Photo Courtesy: Viet Vision Travel

After the storm came out from the hard life

Teacher and student met, remembered the old days

I kept quiet like in a dream

So touched in the meeting.

[author title=”Nguyen Huu Vy” image=”https://sindhcourier.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Author-Nguyen-Huu-Vy-Vietnam-Sindh-Courier.jpg”]Nguyen Huu Vy was born in 1957, in Thai Binh province of Vietnam and currently living in Haiphong city. He is member of Vietnam Writers’ Association, and Haiphong Writers’ Association. He used to be a soldier, and an engineer. Being a writer, a translator, he published 4 literary books. [/author]

 

Value of Life

(Dedicated to my dear teacher-poet Doan Minh Ngoc)

Passing hundreds of kilometers to Vinh citadel to eat a bowl of eel porridge

The seller is from Do Luong

Welcomed with smiling dimples

Likely the Lam River at the dawn.

***

Sitting next to me was the poet from the chalk dust

The hair is as white as silk of the Nghe region

Hands held the spoon excitedly reading poetry

Sweet and soft voice of folk songs.

***

Newly cooked porridge with the smell of fresh yellow marinated turmeric

Soaked ginseng wine from the port land

Toasts exchanged in a drinking bout and blossom stories like corn

Some people lost and some still alive, the pain of the living earth.

***

After the storm came out from the hard life

Teacher and student met, remembered the old days

I kept quiet like in a dream

So touched in the meeting.

***

The bowl of eel porridge pulled me back to the fact

That very moment: Value of life!

_____________

No Title Poem

Just because of that photo

But you really gave up and left me

I sat and stood aimlessly

Looked up and only saw a pair of yellow leaves

 

Such many new things, suddenly turned old

Be safe… went on… wandered for a day

Words of love had filled my heart before

Then went with the wind and the clouds to the sky

 

But that field, my dear

Flowers are still blooming with golden sunshine

Still happy white butterflies

Still the little sister on the side looking at me

 

Now you have gone

I stay with immense sadness.

_____________

Just Be

“The meeting is by fate”

Just likely two candies

Wrapped in a paper and given to me in the afternoon

Sunset turned in adventure

Tied my soul with many dreams

Searched for childhood memories

Asked if ever remembered and waited for each other

Oh, what a fate relationship

God just tied the wrist on hands

Poetry of near and far

Dreams turned to think that you’re mine

The east wind blew to purple lips in the afternoon

 

Flipped the orphan’s shirt by the roadside

You laughed while I watched and loved

Angry at the sky, angry at the unusual sunset

In the afternoon, the road reversed the two villages

You were back, to purple sunset in that afternoon!               

________________

(Translated into English by Khanh Phuong)