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1. Poem: Lam River - Phan Thúc Định
LAM RIVER!
Author: Phan Thúc Định
I wonder since when did you bear the name Lam River?
My hometown river, countless generations indebted
Childhood memories, sediment layers... somewhat forgotten
Embracing the land of Nghệ, abundant in sun and rain!
Come back to my homeland, though not sweet, my dear!
Rough and uneven, yet heartwarming and charming
Where the Lam River, resilient for a thousand years
Dresses the banks in lush green, a folk melody!
From the upper reaches flowing to the vast sea
A thousand years, why does the river not age?
Forever young in that deep blue hue
Like the gaze of someone in their first meeting!
Giang Đình Wharf with its rhythmic waves in Tiên Điền
Kiều sways, three sinks, seven rises...
In that moment, how sharp the lady was!
Was it Tiền Đường or Lam that washed away the blame?
Quyết Thành Vinh Mountain at each dawn
Next to Lam River, like a young maiden
Adorning herself before the mirror, knowing
No forgiveness for herself if careless with powder and lipstick!
Visit Lam River once, my dear!
Hear the 'angry love' on a tiny boat
The 'reverse measure' echoing through the ages
Then understand why the people of Nghệ are so sincere!
People of my homeland, through struggles and toils
North or South, into the river and to the vast sea...
In sorrow or joy, through hardships and still
The folk songs immerse in the vivid hues of Lam Hồng!
Hưng Nguyên, 11/8/2018
Elder Định
2. Poem: Returning to the Hometown River - Trịnh Thanh Hằng
RETURNING TO THE HOMETOWN RIVER
Trịnh Thanh Hằng
The ancient river keeps flowing endlessly
Carrying the burden of fertile alluvium
Childhood forever resides within us
Simple as casting a net to catch snails.
Mother diligently climbs the slope
Golden water buckets on her shoulder for irrigating crops
The beloved river, Mom says, has its own hue
Those crops will be lush and fresh.
On the small boat, Dad is engrossed in setting nets
Mending the fishing gear before dark
A night sky filled with sparkling stars all over the globe
Reflecting on the water, blending with the melody.
By the riverbank, where green bamboo clusters
The wind whispers as Grandma gently lulls the baby
Soft laughter reads the verses quietly
Sleep well, my child, Mom will be back to nurse.
Then, someday, even the little angels
Will venture far on life's every path
When weary of the world's endless play
Come here, river, open arms await.
Poem by Trịnh Thanh Hằng
3. Poem: Along the River in Falling Sunlight - Phạm Hùng
ALONG THE RIVER IN FALLING SUNLIGHT
Author: Phạm Hùng
The cold of that morning didn't follow to the other side
So today, no waves stir within
The flute just left the shore, crossing the river
The boat hesitates in the swirling current.
Fingers blame the robe, why swaying in the daytime breeze
Wind plays, grabbing branches, laughing
An afternoon... my gaze falls
Intoxicated by the curves, forgetting the storms of life.
Fingers blame the strands of hair, fragrant with pomelo
Blame the autumn lake full of threads of love
My soul gets lost... swaying
Sinking into the melody, floating in a dream.
I blame myself, in the deep prison
Stepping willingly into someone else's enchantment
Where to find the figure so elegant
Along the river in falling sunlight, rain by the riverside of life.
PH. 10.10.17.
4. Poem: Remembering the Hometown River - Hoàng Minh Tuấn
REMEMBERING THE HOMETOWN RIVER!
Poem: Hoàng Minh Tuấn
The hometown river, a perpetual memory,
Childhood, carefree, playful and wild,
Crossing the river, undeterred by sun or rain,
Riding the buffalo's back, returning to the village each noon!
The river winding around the village and commune,
Bringing the distant red color to nourish the land,
Ensuring a prosperous and vibrant crop season,
The village above, the hamlet below, everyone warm and full!
After the harvest, comes the season of shrimp and fish,
Spreading nets, casting lines, everyone on the river!
Nights lifting the nets, admiring the moon,
Days with boats going upstream for trade!
Sometimes, the river gets angry, becomes idle,
The headwaters flow continuously downstream,
The river water keeps rising,
Causing worries for every villager!
Yet, beyond the fierceness, the river flows gently,
The riverbank, where young ones jump and play!
Pretend battles, chasing each other,
The river flows, searching for a beginning to soothe!
...
Many years have passed, still I remember,
The small river in my hometown,
Wishing for a morning to return,
To lead me back to the river of the past...
Hanoi, 11/8/2018
5. Poem: Endurance of the Evening - Lâm Bình
ENDURANCE OF THE EVENING
Poetry: NS Lâm Bình
Sister washes clothes by the river in the evening, violet sim flowers endure
Dropping tears silently as the evening sun sets
Since then... you've gone far, never to return
Carrying the flower's charm, a longing
Waiting for someone...
Hidden carefully, the heart conceals its fleeting emotions
Remembering the days by the river, evening clothes washing
Quietly observing, silently swallowing the falling tears...
The pale sunlight holds onto the enduring evening
The sky remains green in a delicate hue
Suddenly, the hurried sunset disappears...
Seasonal rays gently moisten your eyes
The river spreads under the sparkling sun, a lullaby flows softly
Like a silk ribbon connecting distant memories
Touching each other yet always drifting apart...
Sister returns to the riverbank, sitting in silence...
Nostalgic endurance, the evening tinted with purple hues
HCM 22/5/2018
6. Poem: Melody of the River - Phan Thu Ha
MELODY OF THE RIVER
By Phan Thu Ha
Growing up, I've seen the river
Yearning for the eroding banks on both sides
Devotedly flowing without cease
Bearing the weight of each red water drop.
The river endlessly sings boundless verses
Refining each drop of alluvium
For the fertile land fragrant with dreams
For the love of trees, soaked in leaves and flowers.
The river carries days in quietude
Sorrow and joy accumulate through a thousand lifetimes
Carrying the source's rain, thundering waves
Love, where words find it hard to match.
Perhaps no one truly understands
Because the river sings for itself alone
Embracing the pain of the homeland
Weaving the silent moments of peace.
The sky high above, eternal wind and sun
The river, will it ever cease to flow?
The quiet love of a small river
Flows endlessly towards the open sea.
The river still sings that same song
Whispering the lullabies of its tunes
Contributing to the saltiness of the waves
Caressing the shores of the celestial sand
Phan Thu Ha - 11/8/2018
7. Poem: Waiting by the Riverbank - Dinh Khai
WAITING BY THE RIVERBANK…
By Dinh Khai
Every weekend, she comes to the riverbank
Sitting silently, watching the boats come and go
Oh, my love, why do I wait so long?
Still no sight of the boat bringing you back.
Seeing others meeting joyfully
Hand in hand, tight embraces
She quickly turns away
Cannot bear to witness others in love.
Why, oh why, my love, has the wait been so long?
Counting each boat that docks
Yet, no silhouette of the one she adores
Come back, my love, I still wait and hope.
The night has fallen. Lost in thought,
The river is empty, no boats in sight
Thinking perhaps you're still engrossed
In the multitude of tasks and chores.
She rises quietly, walking away
Longing for you echoes with each step…
DINH KHAI
8. Poem: The River of My Hometown and Yours - Nghi Lam
YOUR HOMETOWN RIVER AND MINE!
Poem: Nghi Lam
Your hometown has the Red River flowing
Abundant alluvium enriches fields and gardens
The old dike is always a lingering view
Making travelers contemplative and restless
While your hometown has a small river
With a boat ferrying passengers across
The bamboo bridge lies still, displaying its charm
For every evening when someone returns
That's how it is, listening to your stories
A place of poverty yet so endearing
Old Mother with gray hair sits in the dew
Waiting for her child by the riverbank
Leaving home without knowing in advance
Upon return, Mother has gone far away
You visit the grave, gently placing flowers
Wishing the departed peaceful tranquility
Now there's a dear friend, a close companion
In Hanoi, remembering the Southern region
Where your river has many twists and turns
Fondly remembering the Red River's ceaseless flow!
(Saigon, Sunday morning, August 12, 2018. In memory of N.H, a dear friend in Hanoi.)
9. Poem: The Old Pier - Phan Huy Hung
THE OLD PIER
Poem by Phan Huy Hung
Today, a wooden plank seals our boat's fate
Gliding past the old pier, our connection severed... I bid farewell
I send my smile to somewhere afar
Oh Pier!
The Pier waves...
How painful...
That smile?
10. Poem: The Tranquil Pier - Hoang Lan
THE TRANQUIL PIER
By Hoang Lan
Back to the place, the tranquil pier I seek
Where every morning shares the gentle sunlight
The burden of silt, drops of sacred sweat
Mother's lullaby, both sweet and bitter in life.
Back here with the shore, the alluvial land
Childhood memories, distant days I recall
Amidst the river of chaotic existence
Lost and lingering, a poignant residue.
I return to the place I called yesterday
Where boundless is a mother's love
The banks sing, waves gently caress
A place forever pure in the child's heart.
Hoang Lan
11. Poem: The River of My Hometown - Ngã Du Tử
River of My Hometown
Author: Ngã Du Tử
Sweet is the river of my hometown
Reviving memories beside the hills
Flowing secretly, hiding golden moments
This evening, returning, my heart feels desolate
Noon heat ignites the river's breeze
Rustling the sea of ripening rice fields
Fragrance of areca flowers lingers in the air
From the past, faintly drifting till now
Leaving, the wild grass and flowers grow
Returning home, the scent of celebration
Loose bets on the beauty of mountains and rivers
Still hears the melodies in the blood, once upon a time
Youthful echoes resound once more
Open gates welcoming the expansive sky
Evening in the village, silent fields
Sunset shrouds, oh! submerging in the river's flow
Laughter sinks and rises with the current
Does anyone know where the river's water goes?
NGÃ DU TỬ
12. Poem: The River... - Thanh Trang
RIVER...
Author: Thanh Trang
Flowing silently, quietly with the passing of time
Trà Giang beautiful as myriad songs
Encompassing the entire school years, nostalgic and vibrant
Then joy, sorrow, bitterness. The old school...
Now where is it, a time when shadows led the way
Laughter and talk upon receiving a new class
The river flows, witnessing the Bàng tree shedding leaves
The Phoenix silently weeps, blaming the lightning that passed.
It is no more, forever separated
The river lies there, embracing its jade-like characters
Looking back at the teacher's figure with hesitation
Firmly resolving to preserve the honor.
Autumn comes, the waterway again turns green
Embracing memories, transforming into precious gems
Trà Giang flows gently like flowing hair
The river of love reads the voice of the hometown school.
Đinh Chương Dương, where intellect returns...
12/08/2018. Thanh Trang
13. Poem: The Red River in My Hometown - Thu Hiền
THE RED RIVER IN MY HOMETOWN
Poem by Thu Hiền
Invite you to the Keo Hành Thiện Pagoda gathering
Together we watch Chải swimming in the Red River
Along the vast fields of rice paddies
The Chùa festival is lively in the ninth lunar month.
My homeland has a river with a very peculiar color
Red like the cheeks of a young girl in her spring
Mustard plants spread, holding the steps of passing travelers
In November, please come back again.
The river in my hometown is sometimes not calm
During the rainy season, it churns with frothy, muddy water
Mother says... the river is like a person, isn't it?
It also experiences joy, sadness, anger, and knows pain.
You will come back to the river, won't you?
The boat moored at the old dock is always tranquil
The waves are like a gentle hammock
Waiting for travelers to pause their journey.
Ha Long, 11-8-2018
14. Poem: Waves of the Red River - Đỗ Hương
RED RIVER WAVES
Author: Sunny Do
I sleep deeply beside the Red River's hammock
Dreaming of you on a moonlit night
What do you see, rustling in the rice fields?
Red River waves tumultuously return... to the East...
The Egrets fly straight across the fields
Autumn ripens in each sweet Longan garden
The sun over the green, jade-like meadows
Lies obediently listening to the tales of Fairies and Dragons
Ancient Tứ King without the constraint of clothing
Wades through the river following Father to catch fish
Why is the sun in the Red River delta so sweet?
For your net, catching the 'fairy fish' Tiên Dung?
The reddish water bears witness to Thang Long's history
A thousand years ago, the Dragon's silhouette soared
The young bustling city, lively and bustling
Beautifully glittering, reflecting the image of Nhị Hà
Continuously abundant, continuously red with alluvium
Nurturing patiently for the delta of the continent
Continuously rising and falling, between alluvial and erosion
Continuously echoing Trấn Vũ bell, crowing of the rooster...
West Lake waves still sing the folk tunes
Here, the source of the Red River for thousands of years remains
Serving as the lungs for the everlasting capital
The gentle name 'Beside a River' *
Oh Red River! May you flow for a thousand years
Flowing endlessly, flowing towards the Sea
Always fresh, with affectionate alluvium
For the love of the River vast, the Sea wide
Amidst the river's flow, who will pick up the melody...!
P/s: * meaning from 'Hanoi'
(borrowed image from the net)
12/8/2018
SunNy Do
15. Poem: Fishing Boat - Phạm Văn Ngoạn
FISHING BOAT
Author: Phạm Văn Ngoạn.
A swaying fishing boat
Blue sky, azure water, morning sun turning pink
Drifting at the beginning of the estuary, end of the river
Early morning, casting nets, husband and wife earning a living
When will the difficulties end?
Collecting money, saving silver, buying a multi-story house.
16. Poem: Homeland River - Nguyễn Lan Hương
HOMELAND RIVER
Author: Nguyễn Lan Hương
Tích Giang, oh Tích Giang
A river soft as silk
Tích Giang, oh Tích Giang
A river long as memories.
My ancestral village is there
Glistening with stone and bees
The rural accent is peculiar
Like melting deep into the heart.
I've been away from the river
My ancestral home is no more
Grandma now ventures to the city
The river bend fades away.
Many rivers have flowed by
Many people I've encountered
Childhood years now distant
The river's melancholy vast.
Suddenly encountering the river
Hearing the rustic voice of home
Memories rush back
Tích Giang, oh Tích Giang.
