HALF-AND-HALF

I have lived a life half-sober and half-tight;

Half-black, half-white; and half-day, half-night;

Half in full happiness, half in forlorn hope;

Mid-stream sand hillock; steep mount mid-slope;

Half loving passionately, half missing depressed;

Half smiling affectionately, half weary distressed;

Half-soul in the ephemeral world composition;

Mid-itinerary tottering in this human condition;

In the flickering glow dozing a late half-sleep;

Drunk-laughing by the oil lamp at midnight deep.

Translation by THANH-THANH