nuoc mat cua di bay
IN THE EYES OF AUNTIE SEVENTH
(New Formalism Poetry)
1.
Every time, it's like every single time
my Auntie Seventh shed her tears whenever
she met me. Although she has said it every time, but sometimes
a little bit differently. Yes, it was not a big difference,
but it was just a matter of switching
the timeframe of the past events. And Auntie Seventh
still shed her tears every time she saw me.
2.
I remember very clearly a time
she cried as if she had never cried before. Auntie Seventh cried
like it was raining whenever she mentioned my friend, her oldest son.
He was the smartest guy in her family, so
they named him Thong, which meant intelligent.
The smart guy, yet, why on earth
did he give in to his peer pressure? His friends asked him to join the military
and he did. But he didn't let anybody know.
3.
He joined the calling (to join the Communist North Vietnamese government)
while he was studying for the university exam, just walked away,
leaving behind a beautiful and
lovely girlfriend and family. The girlfriend kept
going to see Auntie Seventh and cried. The smartest guy,
Thong, made Auntie Seventh worried, ill, and emaciated.
4.
And yet! Auntie Seventh is more miserable for her second son.
She named him Tam (Heart and Mind). Tam is also sharp and smart,
not inferior to Thong. But then Tam also left her
to join the South Vietnamese government army.
Tam was a reserved soldier in his first year of college
when he was drafted and was encouraged to go to
Thu Duc Military school or Dong De School,
and Auntie Seventh forgot their names.
Since then, she couldn't sleep, restless and worrisome. She was afraid
that the two of us would shoot and kill each other
in the battlefield without knowing it. She was afraid
the fears might turn into a reality
like the tragic tragedy on the opera stage.
And just like that, the uneasy feeling happened
and was almost identical to the things that Auntie Seventh foreseen.
5.
Suddenly, one day, Tam's unit came to Auntie Seventh's house
to report that Tam was seriously injured
and was taken to the Republic General Hospital.
Auntie visited in tears. When she saw Tam, she fainted.
When Auntie Seventh woke up,
Tam also had just finished undergoing his life or death surgery. The doctor said
that Tam survived, and could only get married but could not
have children because his important genital part was cut off.
Auntie Seventh and Thao, younger sister of Tam,
cried and cried like showers and rains.
6.
When Tam recovered, he recounted that when he fought
with the Viet Cong on the Quang Tri battlefield,
his voice was as follows: “Mommy! After clearing the battlefield,
confiscating the guns, the rapid-fire unit went through
each of the enemy corpses quickly
so that they could move on immediately. But suddenly I looked
at a corpse and somehow that deceased body
looked exactly like brother Thong!?
Thus, I lost my balance and walked in a daze.
As soon as I moved, I continued to fight.
I was injured in the next match.” Auntie Seventh fainted again
and so was Thao this time.
Throughout several months in the hospital,
many girl friends came to visit Tam incessantly,
one after another. And Tam fell in love with a girl named Duyen
who seemed to be predestined to Tam.
Because this girl was always there
“Anywhere” caring for Tam
from the time when he wandered back and forth
on the battlefields to this horrific day. The day that
the other monsters suddenly attacked
and turned this whole beloved country into a catastrophic place!!
7.
Yet Duyen was still with Tam
even though Tam had been punished
and pushed through the harsh re-education prison. More importantly,
knowing that Tam was a survivor of war
and with an operation that was incapable of fatherhood again.
Yet she still accepted and loved Tam when Tam came out of the prison.
8.
But alas! On their wedding day, Tam also had
two catastrophic events take place spontaneously: Tam was surrounded
by the police and taken to the re-education camp again. The other bad news
was brought by a young woman,
holding a little boy. This woman let everyone know that
Thong, Auntie Seventh’s dearest son, had died in the battlefield of Quang Tri!!
After many showers of tears, the woman claimed
that she was Thong's wife and the boy
was the love product of the two of them
when she and Thong were together in the revolutionary areas
of Binh Tri Thien. Finally, the woman asked
Auntie Seventh's permission to take care of the baby boy,
“please take care of her love product with Thong!!” Then she left.
9.
Every time, it's like every single time
my Auntie Seventh shed her tears whenever
she met me. Although she has said it every time, but sometimes
a little bit differently. Yes, it was not a big difference,
but it was just a matter of switching
the timeframe of the past events. And Auntie Seventh
still shed her tears every time she saw me.
There are times when I can remember very clearly,
there are times when my Auntie Seventh
cries like she has never cried. Aunt Seventh cried
like it was raining when she mentioned Thong, my dear friend, her oldest son.
10.
Thong died on the Quang Tri battlefield. But
it was not until three years after the "liberation day (April 30th 1975)"
that Auntie finally believed it
when the official news came. Aunt Seventh said
that the day she received good news of one person, it was also the day
she lost another one in her sorrowful life.
The day Auntie received one more person
was also the day Tam died in the prison. Auntie still had nightmares
about Tam's wedding day, when the police came
to capture him and brought him to prison. Four years later,
she still considered that the wedding day of Tam
was also the day of his funeral.
Since that wedding day, my Auntie and Tam
haven't had a chance to see each other in the prison.
A few times at most??
11.
Duyen (Tam's wife for less than a day) rushed to report
the bad news for Auntie Seventh, Tam was executed in prison
after being convicted of trying to escape (re-education camp).
Duyen said that the last time he went to visit Tam,
Tam wished that tomorrow his country would be free
so that he could compose poetry, write books,
and could travel around his beloved country!
12.
And just like that, on the family altar,
Auntie Seventh long ago had worshiped two of her own children
without knowing whether to call it "martyrs” or what
Every time she lit the incense to pray,
the heart of Aunt Seventh was filled with her endless sorrow.
Especially, every day, when she had to
take care of her grandson, the young boy who looked like Thong
when he was a kid.
This reminded her of the endless love for her own children !!
13.
More than 30 years after the war ended,
resulting in the tragedy of countless lives,
endless losses, and immeasurable misery, the only surviving child
of Auntie Seventh was Thao. Thao couldn't finish her university,
so she had to apply for a job. Thao faced many hardships,
then suffered the bitterness of tearing by the eyes of scrutinizing discrimination
in consideration for party membership.
Her family is half revolution, the other ‘puppet' half puppet was needed to note!!
In the end, Thao was dissatisfied and sought ways
to escape Vietnam via boat along with my Auntie Seventh and Thong's son.
14.
Every time, it's like every single time
my Auntie Seventh shed her tears whenever
she met me. Although she has said it every time, but sometimes
a little bit differently. Yes, it was not a big difference,
but it was just a matter of switching
the timeframe of the past events. And Auntie Seventh
still shed her tears every time she saw me.
Especially this time,
after mentioning Thong, Tam, and memories of Thong, Tam and I
shared during school years (the three of us played together as if were all her own children),
Aunt Seventh also mentioned the death of Uncle Seventh,
and her younger brother who was still
imprisoned
for fighting for democracy and freedom (of Vietnam)!!
Poem by Ha Nguyen Du
Sep 17, 2005, 6:25 am
Translated Phe X. Bach
NUOC MAT CUA DI BAY
(Tho Tan Hinh Thuc)
1.
Lan nao cung nhu lan nao lan nao
di bay cung rom rom nuoc mat moi
khi gap toi. Mac du noi lan nao
cung nhu lan nao nhung doi khi cung
co chut khang khac. Noi co chut khang
khac chu that ra chi la truoc sau
thoi, truoc sau gi thi di bay cung
rom rom nuoc mat. Truoc sau gi thi
2.
di bay cung khoc moi khi gap toi.
Co nhung lan toi nho rat ro, co
nhung lan di bay khoc nhu chua tung
khoc bao gio. Di bay khoc sut sui
nhu troi mua bao khi di nhac den
nguoi ban cua toi la nguoi con trai
lon cua di. La cai thang thong minh
nhat nam tu, nen di dat ten cho
3.
no la Thong. Cai thang thong minh
nhat nam tu nhung oi sao lai nghe
loi ban be ru re. Ban be ru
re cai thang thong minh nhat nam tu
cua di di vao bung. No di vao
bung luc nao khong ai hay biet. No
di vao bung luc no dang hoc thi
tu tai. No di mot cach doan danh
4.
de lai mot co bo that dep va
de thuong. Co bo ay cu den gap
di va khoc muot. Cai thang thong minh
nhat nam tu da lam di om o
gay mon, da lam di nom nop lo
so. Chua het !! Di lai kho so hon
cho cai thang con trai ke cua di,
tuc la em cai thang thong minh nhat
5.
nam tu. Di dat ten cho no la
thang Tam khoi ngo. Thang Tam khoi ngo
cung thong minh khong thua gi thang Thong.
Nhung roi no cung danh bo di ra
di. Boi khi no vua buoc sang nam
du bi dai hoc thi no vi dong
vien phai di vao truong si quan Thu
Duc hay Dong De gi do ma di
6.
quen mat roi. The la tu do di
an ngu khong yen. Di cu so la
hai dua ban nhau ngoai chien truong ma
khong biet. Di cu so su that se
giong nhu bi kich nghiet nga tren san
khau tuong tich. Nhung roi su that da
xay ra cung gan giong nhu nhung dieu
ma di bay luon nom nop lo so !!
7.
Bong mot hom don vi cua thang Tam
khoi ngo den nha di bay dua tin
rang thang Tam bi thuong nang va duoc
dua ve Tong y vien cong hoa. Di
bay tat ta di tham trong nuoc mat
dam dia. Khi gap thang Tam di bay
chet ngat. Khi di bay tinh day thi
thang Tam cung vua hoan thanh cuoc giai
8.
phau. Bac si cho biet la thang Tam
chi lay vo duoc chu khong the co
con vi da bi cat di phan quan trong
roi. Di bay va Thao la dua em
gai ke thang Tam, ca hai nguoi khoc
khoc day dua nhu con mua troi bao
lut. Nhat la thang Tam sau khi hoi
phuc, no ke lai rang luc no danh
9.
nhau voi Viet cong tren chien truong Quang
Tri, giong ke no nhu sau: Me oi!
sau khi thu don chien truong, tich thu
sung dan, don vi con cap toc di
kiem qua tung xac chet cua dich quan,
mac du kiem soat mot cach nhanh chong
de phai di chuyen ngay. Nhung bong con
nhin vao mot xac chet, sao ma giong
10.
anh Thong qua !? The la con buoc di
trong choang vang. Vua di chuyen khong bao
lau thi con tiep tuc dung tran. Con
bi thuong trong tran ke tiep nay. Thang
Tam ke den day thi di bay nhu
ngat di va con Thao cung lat lia !!
May thang nam vien, ban gai cua thang
Tam toi tham khong ngot, het co nay
11.
toi co no. Tam ke rang co mot
co ten Duyen xem ra chac co duyen
voi Tam. Boi co nang nay that chi
tinh chi nghia du “ bat cu noi nao
bat cu dau “ tu luc Tam hien ngang
xuoi nguoc tren cac chien truong cho den
dung mot cai thang Tam bi nga ngua
boi cai ngay quai ac kia. Cai ngay
12.
quai cac kia bat ngo up len dat
nuoc mot mau den toc tang tham khoc !!
The ma co cung van co ben Tam
du cho Tam co bi day qua cac
nha tu cai tao khac nghiet. Nhat la
du biet Tam la ke song sot sau
con giai phau lai khong co kha nang
lam cha. The ma co van ung lay
13.
thang Tam khi thang Tam ra khoi trai
tu. Nhung than oi! trong ngay dam cuoi
thang Tam thi cung lai dung mot cai
ma hai bien co the tham xay ra
don mot luc : Thang Tam bi cong an
vay bat lai dua vao trai tu cai
tao lan nua sau do, va hung tin
mang den do mot phu nu con tre,
14.
tay dat mot thang be. Nguoi phu nu
nay cho tin rang thang Thong cua Di
bay da chet tren chien truong Quang Tri !!
Sau mot hoi dam de trong nuoc mat,
nguoi phu nu do tu xung rang co
chinh la vo cua Thong va thang be
la tac pham tinh yeu cua hai nguoi
khi co va Thong cung hoat dong cach
15.
mang trong cac vung Binh Tri Thien. Sau
cung, nguoi phu nu xin phep Di bay
xin di bay nuoi gium thang be, xin
di cham soc gium tac pham tinh yeu
cua co va Thong !! Roi co ra di
Lan nao cung nhu lan nao lan nao
di bay cung rom rom nuoc mat moi
khi gap toi. Mac du noi lan nao
16.
cung nhu lan nao nhung doi khi cung
co chut khang khac. Noi co chut khang
khac chu that ra chi la truoc sau
thoi, truoc sau gi thi di bay cung
rom rom nuoc mat. Truoc sau gi thi
di bay cung khoc moi khi gap toi.
Co nhung lan toi nho rat ro, co
nhung lan di bay khoc nhu chua tung
17.
khoc bao gio. Di bay khoc sut sui
nhu troi mua bao khi di nhac den
nguoi ban cua toi la nguoi con trai
lon cua di. La cai thang thong minh
nhat nam tu, nen di dat ten cho
no la Thong. Thang Thong da chet tren
chien truong Quang Tri. The ma mai den
3 nam sau ngay “ giai phong “ Di moi
18.
biet chac hung tin. Di bay ke rang,
ngay di bay nhan them mot nguoi, cung
chinh la ngay di bay lai mat them
mot nguoi nua trong doi song day nuoc
mat cua Di. Ngay di bay nhan them
mot nguoi cung chinh la ngay thang Tam
chet trong trai tu. Di bay cho rang
cai ngay dam cuoi cua thang Tam ma
19.
cong an den vay bat va mang di
vao nha tu lan nua mac du den
4 nam sau do, nhung coi nhu ngay
dam cuoi cua Tam cung chinh la ngay
dam tang cua Tam. Boi tu ngay dam
cuoi thang Tam, di bay gap mat no
dau co bao nhieu lan ?? Duyen ( nguoi phu nu lam vo Tam chua day mot ngay )
20.
Chinh Duyen tuc toc den bao hung tin
cho Di bay la thang Tam bi ban
chet trong trai tu vi bi ghep toi vuot
trai. Duyen ke rang lan sau cung Duyen
di tham thang Tam, Tam cu uoc ao
rang mai nay dat nuoc minh tu do
de Tam lam tho viet sach va Tam
se di khap vung dat nuoc than yeu!
21.
The la tren ban tho Di bay lau
nay da tho den hai dua con ma
khong biet phai goi la “ liet si hay
la gi ? Cu moi lan thap nhang cau
nguyen la long Di bay dang len niem
dau xot vo bien. Nhat la moi ngay
phai nuoi thang be, oi sao! No giong
thang Thong nhu dut, cang gay trong long
Di bay niem nho thuong vo cung tan !!
22.
Hon ba muoi nam cuoc chien tuong tan,
dua den tham canh nuoc mat nha tan,
lam than dieu dung. Dua con duy nhat
con song sot la Thao, Thao khong sao
tot nghiep dai hoc nen danh phai xin
di lam co quan. De roi Thao phai
chiu su dang cay giang xe boi nhung
doi mat soi moi ky thi trong viec
23.
xem xet cho vao dang vien. Nao la
nua cach mang , nua nguy can phai luu
y !! Cuoi cung Thao bat man nen tim
cach vuot bien ra nuoc ngoai cung voi
di bay va thang be con cua Thong
Lan nao cung nhu lan nao lan nao
di bay cung rom rom nuoc mat moi
khi gap toi. Mac du noi lan nao
24.
cung nhu lan nao nhung doi khi cung
co chut khang khac. Noi co chut khang
khac chu that ra chi la truoc sau
thoi, truoc sau gi thi di bay cung
rom rom nuoc mat. Truoc sau gi thi
di bay cung khoc moi khi gap toi.
Co nhung lan toi nho rat ro, co
nhung lan di bay khoc nhu chua tung
25.
khoc bao gio. Di bay khoc sut sui
nhu troi mua bao moi khi gap toi.
Dac biet lan nay, sau khi nhac den
Thong, den Tam, den nhung ky niem ma
toi voi Thong, va Tam trong thoi di
hoc. ( Ca ba dua choi than nhu con
mot nha ) Di bay con nhac den cai
chet cua Duong bay, nhac den nguoi em
trai cua di dang bi cam tu vi
dau tranh doi quyen tu do dan chu !!
Ha Nguyen Du
Sep 17/ 05, 6:25 am
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