Feelings of Nature
SPRING FLOWER
(Saigon-1953)
Spring has arrived on the young grass
A spring breeze carries golden leaves to the stream
Flowers are smiling in the golden light
Bees are humming on their way to work.
The flowers are in love not with the flirtatious butterflies
But with the young man carrying a plough
Or maybe with the wandering soldier
Whose love of life is aroused at the sight of flowers.
Spring! Flowers eternally youthful
Sharing in humanity's joys
Spring! For whom do they bloom?
Hand in hand we build our future.
A young poet in the countryside
Picks a flower for his young maiden
A group of childen on the dyke
Sing the alphabet to welcome spring.
On the furrows, witnessing the miracle of the spring flowers
With added strength the men plow deeper
Their singing voices rise like a prayer
And the flowers fall in love with these hard working men
Working to stave off hunger
With the coming crop the people have escaped from the abyss
And the spring flowers open in a cry of joy
Spring! a fresh new fragrance
All humanity rejoices in love
Spring! Like the flowers,
My heart opens with an all embracing love.
The country girls are gazing at the flowers
And saying a springtime wish for peace and happiness
A few silver haired make a secret wish
That flowers shall remain eternally young.
SPRINGTIME
(Saigon-1953)
Like a flower spring love began to open last night
The season of war has gone from the world
A swallow has brought spring
And men remember the voice of love.
Far away rises a prayer
Melancholy pervades the world as the evening falls.
People walk in the warm spring air
Looking at each other, bewildered by love's memories
A vast love encompasses Humanity
Men embrace yesterday's ennemies
Love reaches out to a lonely gun
Flowers rise in the fading tank track.
Oh so gentle the road
Is it a dream becoming poetry
No storm in the sky
A mother cuddles her sucking baby
Love reaches out to the mountains of the North and East
To the rivers in the South, to the forests in the West
A flock of cotton white bird
Bring the good news to every part of our country.
Sweet sings the voice in the setting moon
Love shines on the virgin's white fingers
Hugging all humanity in my heart
I laugh tears of joys, drunken with the love of spring.
WARM SPRING
(Saigon-1956)
The sky is so blue outside
A balmy perfume penetrates through the door
Butterflies freely wander
Following the music, to their dreams...
The echoing sounds of clogs in the empty street
Bring me out into the sunshine.
A church hymn in the early breeze
Brings me back to the warmth of life.
A warm spring is in the city
No drizzle, only dust from the traffic
The warm sun of a southern spring
Is full of love for the people.
Sunshine fills the streets
Srping enters the garden
In high spirit the flowers laugh
The tall palm trees listen
To the blood of spring flowing in their heart
And filling the breeze.
In love with the wide river
Spring plays on the waves
In the sunshine
A girl washes her man's shirt.
The sky is so blue outside
A balmy perfume penetrates through the door
Butterflies freely wander
Following the music, to their dreams...
The echoing sounds of clogs in the empty street
Bring me out into the sunshine.
A church hymn in the early breeze
Brings me back to the warmth of life.
A warm spring in the city
With no drizzle, only dust from the traffic
The spring sun in the south
Is in love with the people, love in the warm spring
LOVE SONG OF AUTUMN
(Saigon-1956)
Tonight a mist is hanging on the world
Like a young maid
Whose thoughts are with the music
Of a far away guitar
Sweet dreams
Tonight a mist is spreading
Like the spirit of a poem
Full of the music of love
In autumn.
The perfume of memories
Traces a path of love in the vastness of infinity
A moon hangs, in love with the wind
Clouds forget their way
Autumn flowers open in the music
Beautiful autumn night, joyful autumn night
Like a virgin's heart
Welcoming the winds from all quarters
The exquisite perfume of the autumn night
Lulls into sweet dreams
The lovers of autumn
Music in the poetry.
FRAGRANCE OF THE NIGHT
to Thu Vân, Dạ Thảo
(Huế-1953)
The night smells like sweet milk
Quietly we come to the front porch
From far away a fragrance suddenly returns
Filling the night air in the street.
So peaceful the night, familiar footsteps.
A man's love reaching to the horizons
In the night come those who bring out the flowers of life
Step quietly please, fragrance of the night!
Step quietly please, fragrance of the night!
Trembling trembling the moon returns
A breeze brings the perfume to the clouds
The fragrance of the night comes not from flowers
But from our love of Peace
Life tastes like wine, love rises
People living for people
Life is joyful like a bee's flight, a fruit's sweetness
Honey for a long life
Let's keep the beat together, people of the world!
Let's keep the beat together, people of the world!
Before going to bed
We tenderly pray for the perfume of the night
To come once more
Before we make our vows of love...
SUNSET ON THE RIVER
(Saigon-1956)
On the Mekong the sun is waning
Like a wish, a desire
Pieces of driftwood floats away
Bending on the graceful waves
Suddenly a sadness rises in me
Across the river, it follows the ferry
Tender feelings, memories of Love
For Life is often but a dream
For Life so often is poetry
Sometimes happy, sometimes sad
For the evening on the river is so desolate
For Life is not just full of hate
Let us sing to the sadness of life
Let us sing to keep our heart alive.
Evening falls on the fast flowing water
Take pity on the world, on each other in this evening
From everywhere the flotsam gathers here
We need just one other to share our sadness and joy.
Tomorrow the river will go to its beloved homeland
Evening falls on the ocean
The sea is not so large, but large enough for love.
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