The
War Invalid Drank Wine Beside the River
Current
English Version
by: Nguyen Huu Ly
(In
memory of a friend of mine before the
farewell day at the Danang river wharf)
How many eventides have we already drunk wine?
I only saw the river current with the red skyline
I only realized that my heart hasn't stopped raining yet
Melancholic waves oscillated my drifting mind
Just go on leaving! Never forget the remained behind person!
I was staying alone and capable of living in the homeland
That looked like a fierce animal confined itself in a small town
I set fine to my severe and painful age
Many times beside the river current where I mirrored my face
I recalled glimpsingly the cloudy sky over the Chu Phong summit
An Loc - Khe Sanh - Lao Bao Pass
I made light of life and death as if nothing had happened
I wandered aimlessly in days and months of fire and sword
I had lost my ways as the crow flies now
Sitting beside the historical current of spleen again
I drank the ultimate drop of wine as blood oozed out from the heart
I shared with grasses and vegetations a heart-to-heart confidence
This human world seemed to sink into oblivion of my presence
I drank wine in eventide beside the river of self-pity and shame
I sang alone the ancient song: the national anthem
So many years I thoroughly grasped the misleading existence
Peals of bells touched my heart with a fond remembrance of homeland
Thinking of tomorrow - I wished mutely
The river current bit the sunlight to welcome altogether back
Two sides of heaven were cut off long time ago
Oh, my dear friend! Where are you drifting away now?
The ancient town's life has gone by in a fading sunlight
In the windy sphere, the echo of a moping
singsong was heard!...
