THE LAST LEAF

The leaf that her sweetheart offered her
She received it by her both hands in the night of love
The human-made destiny separated the couple, days and nights of passionate love sorrowfully stopped
She fell into the imaginary illness in the plaintive time
The bridal pillows
Were imbrued by tears by night

I went searching
Night after night, which leaf to give her ?
The leaf on the branch, O HENRY’S last leaf
Turning its color,
From dark yellow to green
I reached out my hand towards it
Yet I could not get it. How indifferent I was !

And the last leaf
At last, I found it
Inside the kit-bag of Trường Sơn souvernirs
Leaf “Trung  Quân” used to build tents in the middle of jungle
Offering Trung Quân leaf to her, the leaf can never be burnt
Just like her faithful love
That she put in her sweetheart all her life

Translated by NGỌC YẾN