Top 10 Best Poems by Pham Thien Thu

Singing lullabies for health and strength
Into verses of transcendence for eternal love
Hush, let me sing for you, dear child
From the ancient misty days of our ancestors
The Red Bird, the Lạc bird crossing the river
Flying through the pages of Vietnamese history, where every verse is poetry
Every night, the hammock sways beneath the pale moonlight
The moonlight illuminates the lullaby, touching the heart
Grandmother’s hands transform into wings of a bird
10. Softly rocking the hammock – the boat to the future
Grandmother’s heart becomes a hammock of care
The fragrance of our homeland carries the lullaby’s rhythm, hush now!
When you grow older, walk proudly in life
And step into an extraordinary, boundless future!

Source: Author's manuscript (1.11.2009)

Long ago, you came to meet me
At the bell tower of the temple
Which bird flew past there
Leaving its footprints behind

I called out quietly, alone
Bird, where do you go?

Ten years passed and I returned
Still, the bird's footprints remained

Once again, I called out
Where are you, my love?

Long ago, you came to meet me
At the bell tower of the temple

Now, I return there
And still find your name in the bell

I wear a brown robe
While you are far away, beyond reach

Who still recalls your name
As the bell rings in the evening light?

Once, you came this way
And love blossomed in my heart

Like the eternal bird's footprints
Imprinted on the mossy stone steps

How much does life hold
When sorrowful love is endless?

Is there anything left in this illusion
Or just a trace of the bird's flight!

This poem was set to music by composer Cung Tiến.

Source: Pham Thien Thu, 'Once Upon a Time, the Lover', Văn nghệ Publishing House, 2006

Spring arrives in the breeze, flowers gently sway
Spring arrives with clouds, golden butterflies flutter
Spring arrives in the earth, fresh sprouts emerge
Spring arrives on the mountain, birds sing, rivers flow...

Spring arrives with cool seas, sails racing along
Spring arrives with green streams, pink fish swim around
Spring arrives with fragrant incense, Maitreya’s peaceful smile
You return to nature, bathing in the celestial springs.

You return to the village, where songs of love are sung
You return to the sacred incense, where ancestral spirits reside
You return to your homeland, to worship at the village temple
Remembering the roots, remembering the origin, the sacred soil of our ancestors
You return to the divine, pilgrimage to the temple
Offering flowers to Buddha, letting go of all worries
You open your heart, rejoicing with flowers and grass
Spring arrives in the universe! I return to myself!

There is a new, peaceful, and harmonious nature
A fragrant incense awaits, connecting the days past
The village temple reaches up, full of love for the nation
The bell tolls, transcending, as I surpass my own heart
Embracing tolerance like the four seasons of flowers.

Does Spring exist? Or is it the realm of the heart?
Does Spring exist? Or is it the realm of nothingness?
Return to the origin, return to the roots!
Then soar towards the vast expanse of the heart...

With hands clasped, I bow to you, asking for a smile
With hands clasped, I bow to the Sky, asking for the rain to fall
With hands clasped, I bow to the Earth, asking for fresh sprouts
With hands clasped, I bow to the Water, asking for the world to be cool
And I keep bowing, bowing endlessly
I keep bowing...

I bow to the passing clouds, for the vast sky
I bow to the flowing river, to cleanse life’s sorrow
I bow to everything that exists in this world
Where is there not Buddha? Where is there not Heaven?

Whether it be a flower, a blade of grass, or a falling speck of dust
Like a stream running through the mountains, like clouds rising to the sky
Like a river crossing the vast ocean, like the golden moonlight
Please open your heart to let Heaven and Earth manifest.
The heart is a precious island in the sea of reincarnation
When gods and saints are gone, only the heart remains
Here in existence, with no words or thoughts
I am not I, and you are not you

The ten directions are like clouds, drifting like flower petals
Like waves reaching the shore, like the breeze that blows
Like distant clouds, like the shadow of a crane in the sky
I am not I, and you are not you

With hands clasped, I bow to you, asking for a smile
With hands clasped, I bow to the Sky, asking for the rain to fall
With hands clasped, I bow to the Earth, asking for fresh sprouts
With hands clasped, I bow to the Water, asking for the world to be cool
With hands clasped, I bow to you, I bow to the Sky
I keep bowing, bowing endlessly
Bow endlessly!
Bow endlessly!

The darkness has passed, the darkness has passed
The bell rings, the bell rings
We hear the bell’s echo in humanity
Sweet and soothing, each drop of the bell’s sound
The flower bud is sleeping, peacefully in the temple
The dew on the leaves greets the morning light
To let the stream stretch and wake up
The temple on the mountain lingers, cloaked in mist
The grand bell rings loudly
A tranquil smile fills the incense-scented air
The chant of Amitabha Buddha rises high
Sweet and soothing, each drop of the bell rings...

The morning bell rings to awaken from slumber
The bell sounds faintly as the sun rises
The bell resonates with the rocks, celebrating its roots
The village stirs, the birds chirp
The bell climbs the mountain, filling the honeyed air
Down on the rice fields, it signals the harvest
The bell of Cam Lo brings deep reflection

Bringing peace to the troubled heart...

A plum blossom blooms in the forest breeze
The Zen Master walks down the mountain, staff in hand
The heart holds the cold of winter
The raindrops sparkle on the golden staff
The staff of Zen touches the infinite space
The staff of Zen touches the mundane world
Time stands still, the bell rings brightly
The Zen Master descends, saving the world
Sweet and soothing, each drop of the bell rings...

A perfect morning dawns
Lady My Nương ascends the mountain top
The river of mist behind the sky
Guides her upwards into the void
The golden cranes circle and dance
While the bamboo flute plays in silence
The mountains wrap in the blue sky's silk
The flowers on the branches release their fragrance.

The soft bamboo flute creates gentle rain
Filling the halls of the Water King
Stirring the golden cushions
As orders are shouted to the soldiers
But the beloved is already lost!
The river of pink clouds drifts on
Taking her to the mountaintop
The old city, with flowers still falling.

O ruby and sapphire
What can your beauty compare to her eyes?
O kings of the world
What power can move the hearts of men?

With a vow, I will not let this sky fall
The Water King raises his sword in fury
To reclaim the glowing rose
The Water King raises his sword in fury
But on the mountaintop
No one answers his call
The Water King, filled with rage
Commands his soldiers forward!
The Mountain King sits quietly
With Lady My Nương, smiling
The Water King, filled with fury
Orders his army to advance.

The waves rise with a mighty roar!
The winds howl and bend the sky!
The clouds gather thickly!
The thunder rumbles and strikes in fury!
The waters surge, flooding all!
The earth rumbles and shakes towards the heavens!
The clouds slowly break, turning into rain!
The mountains rise swiftly, reaching higher!

The silent battle rages on
The silent battle rages on
The silent battle rages on, forevermore.

The Water King raises his sword
The mountains are silent and still
The Water King commands the waves
The waves crash into the flowers
The Water King cries out in vain
The mountains remain shrouded in mist
The Water King bleeds, calling for retreat
His army returns to the distant sea.

One morning, the jasmine flowers fall
Lady My Nương and the Mountain God
Float away on the river of mist
To a place beyond time
Leaving behind an epic tale
Heaven’s Song needs no words
The flute of the Gods needs no holes
It whispers in the hearts of men
One song calls to the soul
To transcend the endless illusion
To the realm beyond sorrow
This misty river leads the way...

I lull you with my warm embrace, whispering soft and loving words
I lull you with my nourishing milk, sharing an endless bond of affection
I lull you with a simple song, filling your heart with music and poetry
I lull you with the winds and clouds, where my love knows no end
I lull you with the forests on high, for the days of rain and sun are long
I lull you by the hillsides and streams, wishing you no hatred toward anyone
I lull you with new flowers, as the moon and stars unite as one
Love all beings and all souls, for in the future, you will never be alone.

Hush, my child, know this lullaby:
Love, like the first breath, remains forever
The lullaby that flows through the veins of the East, ever strong.

Your heart is the new dawn, filling you with life and love.
I lull you with sweet fragrances, filling your world with joy.
Hold you close, see my love in your eyes! May I show you the true path of life.
Your lips, like sacred blossoms, radiate sunlight.
Child, I am the Divine, I grant you a pure mind.
The lullaby and milk, gifts of the highest truths,
I lull you with these, reminding you that life is full of paths, like clouds that form and dissolve.
Your body is the heavens, your heart is paradise.

Hush, my child, know this lullaby:
Love, like the first breath, remains forever
The lullaby that flows through the veins of the East, ever strong.

I walk with light steps
The moon-white dress sways
I carry my books on one side
My hair flowing down my back

He walks silently behind me
The sound of his shoes barely heard
The afternoon sun fades
And the rain stirs a quiet longing

On my way home from school
The road ends in red clouds
He follows me, hoping for a sign
Under the soft reeds and withered plants

My hands hold a delicate flower
It brushes my hair gently
I search for words to speak
But my heart hesitates

My heart trembles
Like the darkened sky
The next day at class
I see you shyly glancing at me

I walk home from school
The road is still wet
I hurriedly give you a bundle of flowers
Pressed between the pages of my notebook

Oh, the forever love
How can I express it?
Your smile is a memory
And I carry this longing

The summer passes, the phoenix flowers bloom
But we never meet again
Oh, the first love
It’s like walking on the sand

Each step seems light but deep
And quickly fades away
Just like how the colors
Of the flowers slowly disappear

Ten years later, the sun sets again
I return here, by the old tree
It’s still standing, though withered
Its shadows stretch long in the evening light

Do you remember the dress you wore that day?
What color did it fade to?
Our footsteps still echo
In the memories of this place

Life is like a stormy sea
Wiping away the marks of the past
But I still hold on to that bunch of flowers
Full of longing and nostalgia

The city, forever
Holds the traces of love
In the past, wandering
Who carries the red dust?

Your form, so small
Now distant, far away

Love, oh love!

This poem was later adapted into a song by composer Pham Duy with the same title.

Source: Pham Thien Thu, The Old Lover, NXB Van Nghe, 2006

In the spring, I went with you to the temple
The temple courtyard was bathed in sunshine
The yellow reeds bent in the breeze
A butterfly fluttered gracefully near the river

In the summer, I went with you to the temple
The plums were ripe, and the mountain breeze caressed us
The incense smoke curled up
The fragrant scent lingered as it touched your hair

In autumn, I went with you to the temple
A bird perched on the temple bell tower
Singing a melody in the early mist
Falling leaves danced in the cool breeze

In the winter, I went with you to the temple
A light rain fell, and the sky was gray
A few withered branches swayed outside
And the breeze shook a lonely orchid

When winter ended, I entered the temple
I bid you farewell, wrapped in a white shroud
Each flower seemed to mourn quietly
Your hair once shiny like the clouds

The temple garden lies in silence
Next to the flowers – oh, those yellow flowers
The peach blossoms fluttered like a butterfly
The butterfly gently swayed its wings, confused as it passed by

Your grave, newly covered
A bird sat on the tree, silent
The bird's song was drowned in the sound of the stream
The clear water wept quietly, mourning

Now, the temple garden is still
But I visit often, as time passes so quickly
A bloom of apricot flowers appears in the sunshine
And I whisper, “Oh, my love, have the clouds passed over the bridge yet?”

This poem was later adapted into a song by composer Pham Duy with the same title.

A long wall of ancient stone guards the frontier
The cold winds brush along the slopes
The lonely village of bamboo stands, shrouded in mist
The Co Lu fort remains, silent in the breeze
The brown sails of fishing boats sway gently at the shore
And flocks of white storks rise as the pine trees sway
"The Village of Co Lu," a place both real and imagined
Even hearing its name brings a wave of nostalgia.