Top 18 Beautiful Poems by Teacher and Poet Le Gia Hoai

AFTERNOON IN SON LA

Today, I return to Son La in the afternoon

The scent of broom flowers fills the streets

The peak of Pha Luong leans low

Its shadow casts upon my heart.

A soft tune drifts through the air

You sing beside the stream

The colors of the afternoon borderlands

How deeply I long for you, my love...

My heart sways in solitude

The mist lingers with the fading day

Your smile, a Thai maiden's grace

Stole my soul, completely.

In just a fleeting moment

My steps have lost their way

How will I find my path

Back to the world below?

I send my thoughts to the skies

To the mythical afternoon in Son La

The melody of longing

Will follow me for a lifetime...

Le Gia Hoai.

PETALS IN THE WIND

I return to the familiar path shaded by trees

Seeking myself in distant, faded memories

Hoping to find you in the old verse of the seasons

Unwittingly leaving behind unspoken longings.

With a sense of nostalgia, the tamarind trees stand marked by the sun

A distant smile from someone as school dismisses

The white silk dress still drifts peacefully in the breeze

The wind carries the weight of countless words of love.

In silence, I watch the clouds drifting by in the corner of the classroom

Petals in the wind carry my endless yearning

Who has forgotten the cherished days gone by

Leaving the red phoenix flower now alone and lost.

I stop and ask the distant sunset

Where has the vow of old gone astray?

Alone, I hold onto a profound sorrow

And release my heart into the restless whispers of the wind.

16/06/2008

Le Gia Hoai

OH, MAY PIG

"At fifteen... you blossomed into a young lady."

Oh, May pig! What should I send to August?

To make autumn stay here forever.

The scent of milk flowers, enchanting in your arms

Who will pick them up and give them to you on an empty street at dusk?

Oh, May pig! What should I color the sunlight with?

The end of summer, stitching white shirts absentmindedly

The end of summer, someone quietly writing verses

For the fallen cicadas, never to return.

Oh, May pig! What should I say to the riverbanks?

So that wild daisies turn golden, matching your blouse

Your raven hair blowing, stirring hearts

Standing still, hoping to see a familiar autumn figure.

Oh, May pig! What should I whisper into your eyes?

So that the pages of your notebook bloom with beauty in the classroom

Feeling uneasy, perhaps you quietly wept

You secretly loved... secretly missed... someone.

Lê Gia Hoài

AUTUMN ARRIVES IN MOTHER'S GARDEN

Summer fades into morning mist.

Mother's garden bathed in the green of sunlight.

White butterflies flutter around,

Singing a gentle autumn song.

There, the coo of a dove

Echoes through the branches and fruit trees.

The sweet fruits hold their flavor,

Ripening to a bright, rosy red.

The gourd flowers smile in the dawn

Welcoming the new autumn day.

The autumn breeze touches the earth,

Turning the flowers yellow around the yard.

The bamboo grove stands still,

By the old canal's winding path,

Calling forth the new shoots,

Reaching for the clear blue sky.

Mother's garden remains peaceful,

Filled with the endless love of a mother.

Through all the years, it stays the same,

Waiting for her child to return each autumn.

05/08/2018

Lê Gia Hoài

SEPTEMBER, YEARNING AND LOVE

September arrives, leaving a hint of autumn breeze,

Gently drifting through each small window frame.

The fragrance of milk flowers fills the distant sky,

While words of love burn bright against the evening clouds.

September returns, and the old streets drift,

Autumn's longing takes flight, a kite sways wildly,

Who returns, hiding from the storm's aftermath?

Searching the sky for the faded green of an old shirt.

September returns, and even the sunlight is fragile,

Weaving memories into a soft, persistent rain.

The monsoon rains stretch far down the road,

Calling back the first love, forever remembered.

September returns, and I stand alone for a long while,

Beside the old tree, shedding its leaves.

I miss you, and my heart is full of longing,

As September returns, I turn to stone, waiting for you.

Lê Gia Hoài

XUÂN GỌI

Đất trời bỗng nhiên gần lại

Cho xuân hát khúc tự tình

Sương tan nắng lên mê mải

Thêm hồng sắc phố bình minh.

Xuân gọi én về ngõ nhỏ

Xôn xao lộc biếc trên cành

Hương xưa đong đầy mắt gió

Tỏa mềm trong lá mong manh.

Xuân gọi áo ai xuống phố

Thướt tha duyên dáng yêu kiều

Nhịp đời buông lơi sóng vỗ

Lòng ai tím gió mùa yêu.

Xuân gọi bao nhiêu khát vọng

Về trong nỗi nhớ vô thường

Ai giờ trông ai ngồi ngóng

Người về thắp lửa yêu thương.

Lê Gia Hoài.

RETURN TO THE WINDS AND SUN OF THE GREAT FOREST

I won’t return to the city streets, my dear,

Even though it is adorned with rainbow-colored clouds.

The night lights of the street hum softly

The melodies of a golden song enchant the night.

Take me back to the vast mountains and forests

To watch the fiery sunset in the evening sky,

To gaze at the horizon and love it even more

On the white, flower-laden roads.

Take me back to the endless rain and sunshine

With the trees, hills, and the evening breeze,

With the golden moon by the small stream,

Breathing in the fragrant incense and your hair blowing in the wind.

Take me back to the small village this evening,

To cherish the wild grass and the rough beauty of nature,

To love your silhouette beside the dry reeds

And the poverty-stricken village with its fading green leaves.

Let me live as I did before,

In peace, embraced by your gentle love,

Let my heart sing in harmony with your voice,

And love a life filled with deep forests and wild mountains.

Lê Gia Hoài.

THE FINAL LESSON

The last lesson, the teacher enters the classroom this afternoon

not to teach you the old lessons

but to share what has been in my heart

for nine years… before we part ways.

Tomorrow,

you will fly like birds

to new horizons filled with wonders

to fulfill your dreams of exploration

discovering grand and magnificent things.

But first, I still hope

that you will grow up as I have dreamed

to live with faith, rise after falling,

undaunted by challenges on the road to success.

Hold in your heart kindness and compassion

forgive the mistakes along the way

love those who live in darkness

live with sincerity and a pure, selfless spirit.

Then, you will become: doctors, engineers,

business leaders,

farmers, or miners…

But remember, I hope you always give back

to life, with the fire of your heart.

Tomorrow... tomorrow...

life will embrace your dreams, sending them out to the open sea

no matter where you go, no matter which sky you reach

on this riverbank, someone waits

for the “visitor” from years ago to return with joyful news.

Lê Gia Hoài.

THE MỘC MIÊN FLOWER

In March, the Mộc Miên flowers bloom, awakening

Quietly proud as they glow with brilliance

The wind whispers soft words of affection

But Mộc Miên smiles - carefree, ignoring the greeting.

Oh Mộc Miên! How you remind me of her

Radiantly bright like a sunlit flower

Innocently carefree and pure

Captivating the hearts of many lovestruck men.

I return to the depths of my heart

Thinking of you and the Mộc Miên of those days

How passionate, how innocent you once were

That through my youth, I carried it alone.

You are gone, and the old love fades away

I wander back to an empty street

Where the Mộc Miên now tastes bitter and harsh

Falling apart by the roadside, in a desolate place.

No more you to make the Mộc Miên bloom

Radiantly flaunting itself in the new sunlight

Holding a petal just fallen from the tree

I stand still, calling your name…!

Lê Gia Hoài.

ME - SUMMER AND I

Summer suddenly stirs in the vastness

The phoenix wings sway in the crimson light

Delicate red intertwined with memories

Filling my soul, do you know?

Restless in my heart, the sound of cicadas

The purple flowers dye our shared sorrow

In the future, far apart across the skies

Will you remember our first love?

The purple ink lingers in the old classroom

Droplets of ink fading, how can I explain?

Words of love left behind in the empty yard

Now, eyes are soaked in the rain.

Memories turn orphaned in the future

When your footprints vanish far away

You return to a new life with a new name

Summer too, mourns like my heart!

Lê Gia Hoài.

BURNING SUMMER

The final bell has rung, hasn’t it, my love?

Who keeps the old poem now, do you know?

In my heart, the golden summer sun gently fades

Memories hover, but who can truly forget?

Summer burns with a thirst for fading purple hues

Until the purple flowers weep beneath the summer rain

Why do your lashes seem so different today?

They keep blinking, causing my tears to fall.

Where does the dreamer's age go, my dear?

When I am left bewildered in my memories

The wind dances around me as I search tirelessly

For the golden hue of summer, longing for a time of love.

It’s all distant now, but how much remains?

Your image drifts with the burning phoenix blossoms

Summer is so near, but all I feel is

The distant sound of cicadas fading at the horizon!

Lê Gia Hoài.

THE FOREST CHANGES LEAVES

The forest changes leaves

The joy of the past withers

A little indifference

Causing the sunlight to wander.

The forest changes leaves

The stream can't hold its flow

The river dries up

The white sail drifts aimlessly.

The forest changes leaves

The moon in season fades

The vow

Meets stone and turns to ashes.

The forest changes leaves

Spring passes, who knows

There is sorrow

In the color of the withered leaves.

The forest changes leaves

Life remains joyful as such

Despite the noise

We never forget the past days.

Lê Gia Hoài

THE WAVES OF MY HOMELAND

My country stretches wide with the waves' song

Four thousand years, the sea hums a lullaby

Born from the wild, my ancestors gave us blood

Mother nurtures the soul of a distant land.

Footprints remain, deep in the sand

Mai An Tiêm steps forward, with no home in sight

On a deserted island, he carved his loyalty

Vowing one day to return, as the waves guide him home.

When the storm calms, the salty sea's heart shows

The blood of our ancestors shines, with the flag held high

The waves of Bạch Đằng, a thousand years of battle

The victorious anthem echoes throughout the land.

Sometimes the sea rises in fury

The waves scream loudly, mourning the sorrow

At the Bến Nhà Rồng, they sailed to save the country

Returning, they liberated our homeland.

Today, Trường Sa stands firm

Guarding the sea and sky, so the waves rest in peace

Hoàng Sa, where our hearts yearn for peace

The island of our homeland - the motherland reunited.

The waves forever mirror the shape of our country

Endlessly flowing, familiar on the distant shore

Always singing the song of love and tenderness

For all eternity, Vietnam's soul becomes a melody.

By Lê Gia Hoài.

FAR AWAY

You are far from the old town, desolate

Your footprints fade, the evening breeze stops its flight

The sad rain spreads across the distant sky

Your absence turns my poems to ice, filled with longing.

You are far, and even the sun carries sorrow

The words of love lie half-forgotten, uncertain

My love falls into a dark abyss

My heart is abandoned, head bowed in quiet sighs.

You are far, a piece of the world missing

The moon falls, shattered, with a thousand thoughts of longing

A storm rises, dark clouds swirl

My heart floods with grief, a river of silent tears.

You are far, and love withers away

Who can I send these words of love to now?

Come back, and revive our shared dream

Let us sing the song of our love once more, together.

By Lê Gia Hoài.

SPRING INSIDE ME

I saw spring in the sunlight

Gently caressing my shoulders in a light silk coat, at the end of winter

When your footsteps echoed along the empty path

The whole sky seemed to want to cross the river.

My dear, why brush your hair so carefully?

As a soft breeze brushes the sky

The fragrance of flowers and grass fills my heart with longing

In the schoolyard, someone stands, silent and lost in thought.

I saw the peach blossoms on your lips, so fresh

The day you wore a graceful dress, like an angel

Your love garden began to bloom with tender green shoots

I felt as though I had touched the essence of spring.

Like January, when bees and butterflies return to their loves

The flowers scatter, leaving purple leaves on the branches

You hum the song of love, sweet and tender

Spring inside you fills my heart with joy.

Nguyen Tieu / Spring of the Rooster Year.

Le Gia Hoai.

THE PAST

In the past, you were upset

The wind changed and winter arrived

My clothes stained with mud

The chill wrapped the fields

In the past, you cried

The sky suddenly poured with rain

My hair was scorched and singed

Lightning flashed above our heads.

Now you're a bride in a foreign land

Who will feel your anger now?

The old games are gone

No one to play them with anymore

Now our first love has faded

Old tears are left to be stored away

Do you still cry

Counting your sorrow instead of mine?

Le Gia Hoai

THE BLUE AFTERNOON

There is a violet afternoon inside me

The virgin clouds bloom into memories of flame tree flowers

Delicate petals fall beside the pages of my notebook

As love burns bright in the coming summer's light.

There is an afternoon when I wander alone

On a path overflowing with the scent of wildflowers

Counting the steps of your return down the narrow alley

Listening to the rustling winds stir my heart.

There is an afternoon when a flock of starlings flies across the river

Rain drifts over the distant, empty field

Your hair falls loosely, no longer the carefree girl of youth

Returning hidden emotions to the sunlit schoolyard.

There is an afternoon when I sit and count my longing

At our familiar café on the street corner at summer's end

You didn’t come… the twilight is too fragile

And the sound of cicadas echoes all my waiting.

There is an afternoon… that afternoon has become a poem!

Lê Gia Hoài

THE SINGING STONE

The ancient layers, millions of years old, who can comprehend?

What secrets lie within the earth where the stone lies still?

Then one day, my heart stirs with unease

Before the stone’s sorrowful existence in exile.

Never before have I sent my love through stone

So I never knew stone could wear so much moss

But today, my heart is filled with quiet wonder

As I realize that stone too speaks the language of love.

Northwest, you say! What spring water flows with fragrance

Shards of soul as fresh as a thousand reeds

Every burden hidden behind a song of struggle

Stones bow beneath the weight of untold grief.

Time passes, and the stone remains unchanged

Blooming like a flower, embodying the dreams of ages

My love, have you ever noticed

That my heart has turned to stone before you?

Lê Gia Hoài