Citizen's Duties

During the early years of the First Republic, when the Office Of Culture was founded to find a cultural path for South Vietnam, I took an active part. When Parliament organized a competition for the new national anthem, I sent in a hymn-like song:
CHÀO MỪNG VIỆT NAM
SALUTE TO VIETNAM
(Saigon-1956)
Salute to the Republic of Vietnam
Welcome the new Democracy casting its light everywhere
Long life to the soldier heroes
Salute to the sacrificing youth
Welcome brothers, welcome solidarity
Welcome to the people and the world
We shall fight to build a free and happy life
Hurray for Independence, hurray for Peace
Here is the Vietnamese people, flowers of Asia
Hurray for the smiles, hurray for life
In our fight we shall not forget love of humanity.

The Office of Culture oganised a Culture Week during which prizes were awarded in the various artistic fields. I won a prize with a musical drama, of which I can only remember the beginning.

CHIM LỒNG
CAGE BIRD
(Saigon-1955)
Introduction:
A veil of willow leaves hang
Yesterday you were practicing
On a branch
O bird...
. . . . . . .
O bird...
O bird...
Twittering on a branch
Chattering by the cascade
Come to this beautiful house
Come to this pretty house
And to a doting hand
Waiting for a lovely song
O bird
Raise you sweet gentle voice
O bird!
O bird!
O bird!
Why are you sad?
Why do you grieve so
Here's some rice, here's some millet
Here's a pretty little red cage
Here's some clear water
O bird!
Why are you so sad?
O bird!
O bird!
I can see that you are silent
I can see that you love life
A life of independence, a life of freedom
With the blue sky, the white clouds
And a romantic breeze all to yourself
O bird
Spread your wings and soar!
O bird
O bird
O bird
Spread your wing, soar through the sky
Follow the dust of life
Life is a smile, Life is joy
Joy is a flock soaring in the wind
And endlessly chattering
O bird
Sing the joy of life!
O bird!
O bird!


Another Children's Song
After the cage bird, I talked about a wild bird in a children's song titled MỘT ÐÀN CHIM NHỎ (A Flock Of Little Birds). My ramblings would unexpectedly turn out to be accurate forecasts. Within ten years, an American rocket would take three days to reach the moon and astronaut Armstrong would find no sign of the Man In The Moon and the Moon Fairy, Chú Cuội and Cô Hằng! MỘT ÐÀN CHIM NHỎ was also a continuation of CHÚ CUỘI (The Man In The Moon) which I had written long agọ MỘT ÐÀN CHIM NHỎ
A FLOCK OF LITTLE BIRDS
Young Cuội fell in love with Hằng Nga the Moon Fairy
He lied to his grandparents and flew to the moon
Tra la la! Tra la la!
Since he went away
His neighbours have been missing him
Tra la la! Tra la la!
After the adventure
Cuội sat and thought of home
Tra la la! Tra la la!
As his buffalo ate the crop he sat under the banyan tree
Crying for his father
Tra la la! Tra la la!
Hằng Nga took pity on Cuội
Who missed his village even though he lived in heaven
Tra la la! Tra la la!
So once a month she gave to the world
A bright round autumn moon shining up high
Tra la la! Tra la la!
The sky was full of the autumn moon
The children came out to look for Cuội
Tra la la! Tra la la!
A flock of little birds travelling by night
Reached the Earth after one year's flight
Tra la la! Tra la la!
The children asked: Why is Cuội not on the moon?
Where has Hằng Nga gone
Tra la la! Tra la la!
Tra la la! Tra la la!
Feeling sorry for the innocent children
The birds answered:
Tra la la! Tra la la!
Since the rockets flew to the moon
Taking only three days
Tra la la! Tra la la!
Cuội and Hằng Nga ran away
And no one knows where they are now
Tra la la! Tra la la!

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