SHANNON 

Hello, Shannon!

I gave you a brief salute,

With great pleasure when seeing you pass on.

Hi, Shannon!

I greeted you again on route,

And you looked back! Eagerly your eyes shone!

Hey, my young friend, at that age so green,

Arising in your mind what images have been? 

The refined talent, youth,

Or the elderly, kind-hearted in truth,

Which one has talked of love with a good grace?

Each time you came to this place,

I held your sweet-smelling hand at it to aim,

I kissed it, why your face grew red with shame?

You blinked, your eyelashes up curved,

I looked at you and how I felt my heart stirred.

You are innocent at the tender age,

Twenty years old, life is at its blossoming stage.

Your wet lips appear to sexually excite,

Your graceful figure, hung hair seem to invite.

Oh your streamed golden hair with girlhood scent, 

Once more I also stroked it, a natural bent.

Well Shannon, our acquaintance how did we make?

The first time, a brief greeting for courtesy’s sake,

And you replied with words so nice,

Took a pen from the briefcase, and wrote concise

But clear quickly two words Dieu-Shannon so cute

The schoolgirl handwriting, what a pleasing beaut!

I have in my life fallen in love so many a time,

And so many a nymph have plagued my prime.

I have often suffered the suffering of sand too,

How many heels have trampled upon it to pass, ooh!

Now that I painfully recognize my advanced age,

I desolately try to dispel your obsessive image.

Then, Shannon, my young little friend!

Please do not resent.

You are an angel, but I only am an evil spirit!

And after office hours yesterday – I knew it,

You were trying to await me,

But I tried to stay at work longer as if carefree.

Casting a furtive glance, I felt sorry so much;

The fruit is ripe, why I coldly declined to touch?

No, I implore you, do not wait on!

That evening I lay still and could not sleep as such,

I dreamed, I whispered your name, my icon:

Shannon!

        Translation by THANH-THANH