photo credit: Wally McNamee

 

A Thousand Years of Time 
For Mother's Smile

Poetic English version of a poem in Vietnamese by TRAN TRUNG DAO

 

I pick the phone and a trauma almost makes me cry
Whose voice is this ? A dead leaf falling in autumn time ?
Ten years! O, mom! for over ten years, I
Have been missing you in silence all the time!

On my departure I did not promise anything
Like a wild pony, I have been wandering
Ten years have turned the black of your hair into a sad white
Each time I think of you, the white dyes my heart and mind

O, Mom! sadness, you are still weaving
In a life full of rain and wind
I gather dry leaves from all corners of the sky
And make a fire to dissipate the mist of life.

Your voice sounds like a sobbing
Is it real or am I just dreaming ?
You are now too far away for me to reach
O, Mom ! when could we again meet ?

Do not cry! O, Mom! Keep waiting!
I will hide my emotion in my writing
I will write on the leaves all my suffering
In dreams, I will find your warmth, so comforting!

I pick up the phone and get a trauma
Your voice is sadder than the rain coming from afar
I would use a thousand years of my time
For your laughter and smile

HOAI VAN TU

Version translated by Poet THANH THANH

MY LIFE
FOR MY MOM'S LAUGHTER

PICKING up the handset I was stunned with surprise:
Whose voice as light as falling leaves in cold skies?
Isn't it ten years, ten years and over, dear mother,
Just in silence to miss and long for one another?

I left without any promises or pledges that day:
The old wild horse from its forest-land went astray.
Ten years for Mom's hair to turn mourning white,
And mourning-like my soul also in such a plight.

You've still been sitting there weaving your pain
By an existence of slapping wind and beating rain.
I've set off to set up from all directions a pyre
In order to disperse the mist for life lighting a fire.

Your voice was broken off, you choked up, I found;
Mom's endearing words or mere in-reverie sound?
You are too far, how could I reach out for you?
And when could we meeting again look forward to ?

Do not cry, my dear mother, and continue to await.
All my grief I will hide in the rhymes I create.
Of all my sorrow I will write reams and reams,
And find your warmth my warmth in my dreams.

As I picked up the handset how astounded was I
To hear my mom's voice sadder than the rainy sky!
Should I be able to give up Man's time in hereafter,
I would offer mine to recover my mom's laughter.

                               THANH-THANH

---

ÐỔI CẢ THIÊN THU TIẾNG MẸ CƯỜI

Nhấc chiếc phone lên bỗng lặng người
Tiếng ai như tiếng lá thu rơi
Mười năm mẹ nhỉ, mười năm lẻ
Chỉ biết âm thầm thương nhớ thôi

Buổi ấy con đi chẳng hẹn thề
Ngựa rừng xưa lạc dấu sơn khê
Mười năm tóc mẹ màu tang trắng
Trắng cả lòng con lúc nghĩ về

Mẹ vẫn ngồi đan một nỗi buồn
Bên đời gió tạt với mưa tuôn
Con đi góp lá nghìn phương lại
Ðốt lửa cho đời tan khói sương

Tiếng mẹ nghe như tiếng nghẹn ngào
Tiếng Người hay chỉ tiếng chiêm bao
Mẹ xa xôi quá làm sao vói
Biết đến bao giờ trông thấy nhau

Ðừng khóc mẹ ơi hãy ráng chờ
Ngậm ngùi con sẽ dấu trong thơ
Ðau thương con viết vào trong lá
Hơi ấm con tìm trong giấc mơ

Nhấc chiếc phone lên bỗng lặng người
Giọng buồn hơn cả tiếng mưa rơi
Ví mà tôi đổi thời gian được
Ðổi cả thiên thu tiếng mẹ cười.

Trần Trung Ðạo