Đất nước ấy That country

That country

This is about the women of that country
Sometimes they spoke in slogans
They said
      We patch the roads as we patch our sweetheart’s trousers
      The heart will stop but not the transport
They said
      We have ensured production even near bomb craters
      Children let your voices sing higher than the explosions
                                                   of the bombs
They said
      We have important tasks to teach the children
      that the people are the collective masters
      to bear hardship
      to instill love in the family
      to guide the good health of the children (they must
      wear clothing according to climate)
They said
      Once men beat their wives
      now they may not
      Once a poor family sold its daughter to a rich old man
      now the young may love one another
They said
      Once we planted our rice any old way
      now we plant the young shoots in straight rows
      so the imperialist pilot can see how steady our
      hands are

In the evening we walked along the shores of the Lake
                                               of the Restored Sword

I said   is it true?   we are sisters?
They said   Yes, we are of one family