Page 109 - Dragon&Fairy in Poetry
P. 109
Thanh Thanh
TEN THINGS TO LOVE
Original “Mười Thương”
by NGUYỄN PHÚ LONG
One: I love my parents for giving birth to me.
Two: all my kindred either alive or no more to be.
Three: the legend of a hundred eggs a hundred issues.
Four: the white rice from which nourishment accrues.
Five: the first love for the tender passion in the prime.
Six: the peasants for working hard all the time.
Seven: the pedlars exposed to the sun and rain.
Eight: the soldiers away from their native domain.
Nine: the pitiable youth parted from his dreamed dove.
Ten: I love you, honey, for your virtuous, loyal love.
These are a few sentences of my poetic inspiration;
After all the gist of it is my true heart's demonstration.
Translation by THANH-THANH
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