IN THE MOONLIGHT

(to the poet Be Thanh Long)

After many years, I have nothing left
but half of a small kitchen and a tring of poems.

There’s moonlight in front of the verandah,
and I hear the sound of geese on high,
which tell me about the life of a man.

The street market is red, black and noisy,
I don’t care about they buy and sell and change their mind,
I just peacefully keep on looking for Love
or the World of Nothingness.

I wish my heart could be mended,
and I could have a friend as my companion.

”Where is the plank-bed which needs nailing?
Let me fix it and it will be as good as new!”

Tonight the moon is extremely bright,
I raise a cup of brandy and smile at… my self.

Cao Bang, 12-1991