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THE BRIGHT AND CLEAR RHYTHMS
         NGUYEN ANH NONG

With the bright and clear behavior,

a young soldier

writes on the black board

his fresh writings,

his thinking of the sunlight.

The writings have legs and they romp out.
*
The little children open their eyes, learn how to become the successful men.

The sound of birds and the sunlight seem all over the air.

The fragrance of anise-trees and cinnamon-trees spread in the wind.

Each word is gragrant with the poetry and the delight

makes the country, the mountains, the rivers appear

makes the heroes and the poets appear

makes the souls of the deceased appear…

The children with bare feet

jump with joy – in bright and clear rhythms.   

*

A young soldier sits dazedly by the stream.

It whispers to him the song of months and years.

The bright and clear soldier –

tenderly tell some stories.

The bright and clear children swallow every single word of his.

The stream is bright and clear in the children's faces.

A soldier take them walk –

their steps in rhythms

are brighter and clearer.


16-2-2002