THE OLD SHELF
The
old shelf
After
ten years I came
back to rearrange.
From
the books and
notebooks range
Fell
out the veins of
violet-dyed fig tree
leaves:
The
sight of which more
and more aggrieves
Reminding
me of my dear green
years
With
now so long-ago
those cheers...
The
dusty autograph
books each showing
Each
page with friendship
overflowing
As
I turned over, I
reviewed each
classmate:
Who
were still alive,
who had already
found fate,
Who
succeeded in fleeing
as yearned,
And
who however
returned...
In
my mind revived the
white dresses of
fays
And
their laughters like
on back-to-school
days,
The
small kiosk with the
glasses of juice,
The
rear laps who
knotted as love to
introduce...
Oh
memories of youth!
Thence
Nostalgia
immense
In
my self!
Oh
my old shelf!
Ten
more years, ah!
And
after ten more years
-
who could debar?
When
has grown white my
hair
To-pine-for
and to-miss shall I
for ever bear...
Vietnamese poem by LÊ MAI
English translation by THANH-THANH