Mother's children

Mother's children

(excerpt)

 Author: Pham Xuan Hang

.....

Nowhere else on this earth

Bearing the burden of suffering as much as the land of Vietnam.

The weight of war bent the S-shape further.

They had to endure so much injustice.

A nation on a journey, yet so much war and conflict.

Oh, what pain could there be?

Painful as the pain of dehydration.

Whose suffering is it that belongs to anyone in particular?

Torn apart the land and its people

It's heartbreaking to see loved ones bleeding.

The country was devastated by the bombing raids.

Many mothers have sleepless nights.

Looking forward to the day my son returns victorious.

The wives are filled with even more longing.

Seeing her husband off, she shoulders the heavy burden of village affairs.

Mothers holding their disabled children

The lives of extraordinary people

Agent Orange is slowly killing people who are still alive.

Distant dreams kill immediate aspirations.

Tô Thị, do you know?

Many wives have waited anxiously for their husbands.

All I could see were rows of blank, unmarked tombstones.

Like a funeral shroud, it turned to stone and did not become a tomb.

The Vietnamese mother's tears have dried up.

Bearing the burden of war, their backs bent over the shape of the nation.

Standing tall once again, creating an eternal green color.

Throughout life, we nurture our dreams...

Vietnamese mothers are thrifty and hardworking.

Even if it means enduring hardship and toil, I will gladly accept it.

The country roads in my mother's village become slippery during rainstorms.

Oh, life's path is slippery when it's not raining!

A mother's hands cherish history.

Are there any tears left from the war?

The mother swallowed it in, using it as a support.

Renewal, like a mother sowing fresh buds and green branches.

A mother's lullaby becomes a timeless folk song.

The green bamboo hedge sways gently over the golden ripe rice fields.

The sound of traditional Vietnamese opera drums and the melodies of Quan Ho folk songs.

I saw the silhouette of a stork wading along the riverbank.

Oh, my lovely children!

Feet walking on mountain rocks will wear down over time.

Wild vegetables, malaria, and bombs.

News of a joyous day filled with millions of cheers.

Hanoi 2006

Listen to her sing in the middle of the ocean.

He has stood here through many stormy seasons.

A remote island far from its beloved homeland.

I crossed the vast ocean to come here and sing.

Truong Sa is not far away*.

The wind is gentle tonight on Truong Sa Island.

To create background music for the social gathering.

Her singing voice is heartfelt and poignant.

My heart is captivated by this soldier on a remote island.

Oh, how sweet are the words of the song you sing!

Bringing light to the large Truong Sa island.

Oh, the haunting refrain of the song!

Truong Sa is not far away*.

Listening to you sing makes me feel close to my mother.

I see the evening smoke rising and mingling with the blue sea.

Truong Sa is not far away, and it is filled with happiness.

Truong Sa is always with me, Truong Sa is always with you.

He can hear your heart singing.

Among island soldiers like him

The waves seem to have stopped rising tonight.

Listen to me sing a song dedicated to the green island.

He embodied the lyrics you sang.

May your heart always be filled with the warmth of your homeland.

Maintain your posture amidst the vast ocean.

And let him keep his promise.

Truong Sa (Spratly Islands) 4/07

Pham Xuan Hang

* Lyrics by the composerHinh Phuoc Long