Shore Of Spring

by Va(n Cao & Pha.m Duy
translated by Pham Quang Tuan

My dwelling was by a bridge on the water
You came to visit one day
Birds of the forest gathered by the shore of spring
Songs of love they sang
Their voices echoing far away
Where peach trees bloomed in the sun.
My soul was lost in a melancholic flagrance
Hand in hand we walked down the bank of the stream
Looking at the birds jealous and tender
Here our steps faltered
Your eyes were like boats mirrored in the water
Your dress trembled shyly in the light breeze
By the shore of spring.

Then a mist came down over the mountains
The waves carried away my sail
But when a warble reached the wanderer
And a swallow glided in the clouds
A memory of love lingered...

A daze still hangs over my dwelling
Since you went away that afternoon
The melancholic water holds your lovely image
Birds chirp softly in the sun
But tears fall with the autumn leaves
Songs of longing they sing
Their voices echoing far away
My aimless soul wanders...

Stopping for a moment in his journey
A wanderer comes back to the old shore
Here clouds and mountains extend for ever
Here poplars dry their golden hair in the sun
And his tired and troubled eyes gaze
At the shore of spring

Be^'n Xua^n

by Va(n Cao & Pha.m Duy

Nha` to^i be^n chie^'c ca^`u soi nu+o+'c
Em dde^'n to^i mo^.t la^`n
Bao lu~ chim ru+`ng ho.p dda`n tre^n kha('p be^'n xua^n
Tu+`ng ddo^i rung ca'nh tra('ng ri'u ri't ca u` u u'...

Ca`nh dda`o hoen na('ng chan ho`a
Chim ke^u thu+o+ng me^'n
Chim nga^n xa u` u u' ...

Ho^`n buo^`n nga^y nga^'t tra^`m hu+o+ng
Di`u nhau theo do^'c suo^'i no+i ven ddo^`i
Co`n tha^'y chim ghen lo+`i a^u ye^'m
To+'i dda^y cha^n bu+o+'c cu`ng nga^.p ngu+`ng
Ma('t em nhu+ da'ng thuye^`n soi nu+o+'c
Ta` a'o em rung theo gio' nhe. the.n thu`ng ngoa`i be^'n xua^n

Su+o+ng me^nh mo^ng che la^'p ki'n non xanh
O^i ca'nh buo^`m dda^u co`n tre^n lo+'p so'ng xanh
Ai tha hu+o+ng nghe ri'u ri't oanh ca
Ca'nh nha.n va`o ma^y thie^'t tha
Lu+u luye^'n ti`nh vu+`a qua

Nha` to^i sao va^~n co`n ngo+ nga'c
Em va('ng to^i mo^.t chie^`u
Be^'n nu+o+'c tie^u ddie^`u co`n ha(`n in ne't da'ng ye^u
Tu+`ng ddo^i chim trong na('ng khe khe~ ru u` u u'...

Le^. mu`a ro+i la' chan ho`a
Chim reo thu+o+ng nho+'
Chim nga^n xa u` u u'...

Ho^`n buo^`n nga^y nga^'t ve^` dda^u
Ngu+o+`i ddi theo mu+a gio' xa muo^n tru`ng
La^`n bu+o+'c phie^u du ve^` be^'n cu~
To+'i dda^y ma^y nu'i ddo^`i cha^.p chu`ng
Lie^~u su+o+ng ho+ to'c va`ng trong na('ng
Ma`u a'o phong su+o+ng du kha'ch co`n nga.i ngu`ng nhi`n be^'n xua^n

The Lake and the Young Woman

by The^' Lu+~
Translated by Pham Quang Tuan

On the sapphire lake
A small boat she rows
Floating like a dragonfly
Darting on the water, playing with the flowers
The wind steps lightly over the waves
The afternoon sun trembles in the leaves
The reeds bend their lithe stems
What is she suddenly thinking about?
Putting aside the oar, she lays her head on her knees,
Looks at the radiant afternoon clouds and wonders
What secret charm do the clouds have
That makes the swallow wander...

Ho^` Xua^n Va` Thie^'u Nu+~

(The^' Lu+~ -1941)

By Va(n Cao
Translated by Pham Quang Tuan

A voice is singing this evening over the waves
Bringing memories of Lu+u and Nguye^~n
who by chance came to Dda`o Nguye^n.
A path leading to fairyland
A spring of love
The sound of music in the wind
Silken strings tugging at the heart
Mystic notes
Loving tones
Like water singing by the boat's side.

A sound stirred, a peach petal fell,
A veil of mist hung around the sky
A flimsy boat floated under the flowers
Home gradually disappeared behind the mountain
Dreamily the oars stirred the limpid water
Someone sang on the banks of Dda`o Nguye^n springs...

Thie^n Thai
Here the flowers have never met earthly butterflies
And the peach petals have never faded
We the fairies
Offer you a sweet-scented peach
And the Nghe^ Thu+o+`ng dance will lighten your heart

The lute sang, the moon shone, music and bird song blended
Longing, yearning
This was Bo^`ng Lai, the heavenly tune
Holding eternity in the ethereal strings
Urging one to forget the earthly realm
As the heavenly lute yearned for the sound of love

Thie^n Thai
Where dreamy blue moonlight dissolves into the earth's springs
Love in this fairyland we can have but once\...

The wind carried the singing voices
And the crisp sound of castanets
But why bring up memories of those days long past?
When in Dda`o Nguye^n, Lu+u and Nguye^~n forgot the earthly world
And sang for many years with the fairies.
Then one day they yearned to go home
But, o fairies, they had forgotten the way ...

The wind carried the singing voices
And the crisp sound of castanets
But why bring up memories of those days long past?
When Lu+u and Nguye^~n tried to return
Dda`o Nguye^n was no longer there
Each evening when rises the moon
Heavenly voices still sing in fairyland...

Thie^n Thai

by Va(n Cao

Tie^'ng ai ha't chie^`u nay vang lu+`ng tre^n so'ng
Nho+' Lu+u Nguye^~n nga`y xu+a la.c to+'i DDa`o Nguye^n
Ki`a ddu+o+`ng le^n tie^n,
Ki`a nguo^`n hu+o+ng duye^n,
Theo gio' tie^'ng dda`n xao xuye^'n.
Phi'm to+ lu+u luye^'n
Ma^'y cung u huye^`n
Ma^'y cung tri`u me^'n
Nhu+ nu+o+'c reo ma.n thuye^`n...

A^m ba, thoa'ng rung ca'nh dda`o ro+i
Nao nao ba^`u su+o+ng kho'i phu? quanh tro+`i.
Le^nh dde^nh du+o+'i hoa chie^'c thuye^`n lan
Que^ hu+o+ng da^`n xa la^'p nu'i nga`n
Ba^ng khua^ng che`o khua nu+o+'c ngo.c tuye^`n
Ai ha't be^n bo+` DDa`o Nguye^n...
Thie^n Thai
Cho^'n dda^y hoa Xua^n chu+a ga(.p bu+o+'m tra^`n gian
Co' mo^.t mu`a dda`o do`ng nga`y tha'ng chu+a ta`n qua mo^.t la^`n
Thie^n tie^n
Chu'ng em xin da^ng hai cha`ng tra'i dda`o tho+m
Khu'c Nghe^ Thu+o+`ng na`y dde^`u cu`ng mu'a vui ba^`y tie^n theo dda`n..

DDa`n soi tra(ng le^n, nha.c la('ng tie^'ng quye^n
DDa^y ddo' no^~i lo`ng mong nho+'
Na`y khu'c Bo^`ng Lai
La` ca? mo^.t thie^n thu trong tie^'ng dda`n cho+i vo+i.
DDa`n xui ai que^n ddo+`i du+o+ng the^'
DDa`n non tie^n dda`n khao kha't khu'c ti`nh duye^n...

Thie^n Thai
A'nh tra(ng xanh mo+ tan tha`nh suo^'i tra^`n gian
Ai a^n thie^n tie^n em ngo+` phu't me^ cuo^`ng co' mo^.t la^`n...

Gio' ha('t tra^`m tie^'ng ca
Tie^'ng pha'ch ro`n la('ng xa
Nha('c chi nga`y xu+a ddo' dde^'n se buo^`n lo`ng ta.
DDa`o Nguye^n tru+o+'c, Lu+u Nguye^~n que^n tra^`n hoa`n
Cu`ng ba^`y tie^n dda`n ca bao na(m.
Nho+' que^ chie^`u na`o xa kho+i
Cha('c kho^ng ddu+o+`ng ve^` tie^n nu+~ o+i...

Gio' ha('t tra^`m tie^'ng ca
Tie^'ng pha'ch ro`n la('ng xa.
Nha('c chi nga`y xu+a ddo' dde^'n se buo^`n lo`ng ta
DDa`o nguye^n tru+o+'c, Lu+u Nguye^~n khi tro+? ve^`
Ti`m DDa`o Nguye^n, DDa`o Nguye^n no+i nao
Nhu+~ng khi chie^`u ta` tra(ng le^n
Tie^'ng ca co`n re^`n tre^n co~i tie^n...

Tru+o+ng Chi
(The Boatman's love)

by Va(n Cao
Translated by Pham Quang Tuan

Long ago when moon and rivers were not yet poetry
In the deep evening gloom stirred a silken string
Flowers and birds were waiting in the solitude
For autumn to come, bringing music and song...

A lonely vesper in early autumn
A sleepless soul in a secluded room
A bird falling in the golden rhapsody
A window unclosed waiting for the sound of the lute

When My. Nu+o+ng heard the voice
She dreamt of a boat floating along
And smiled at the amorous moon
Amorous moon in the sky...

Tru+o+ng Chi
From centuries past your voice still echoes
Your sorrow and grief at the cruel separation
The moon's reflection is still moored in the lonely river
Where did the wind carry your words?
In the deep waters
Where has your boat disappeared?

Music drifts in from far away
Note by note falling in the night
The veil of autumn mist has just dropped
On the trees, on the river
The passer-by hears the plaintive voice
Of the river lamenting Tru+o+ng Chi 's love
Rising to the waning moon
Lullabies of Autumn...

Outside the window raindrops fall on some lute strings
Like someone sobbing, lamenting
Deep and high whisper the wind and the rain
Mixed with the water's murmurs - is someone sad
As the rain sees away the night
Is someone sobbing and lamenting
In the lingering wind
In the water flickers a reflection of the boat of old...

O ferry boat
Tonight the Thu+o+ng's waters are rising
Someone is singing in the ivory moonlight
I sit here and tap on your side and sing
As though I was left alone on Earth
In the night the lute sings a reproach
Of the ingrate who spurned the poor
A couple on the shore
Say their farewell
Where is the boat of Tru+o+ng Chi ...

Moon and rivers became poetry
A note wandered in the drifting scents of autumn
Space moaned and quivered in ecstasy
Stars flickered to the sound of lutes.

Music lingered, mysterious sounds,
Cold and deep rang paired silken strings
Somebody plucked a lute in the night
Autumn drowned in the deep moonlight

Stop the boat.
Somewhere there comes
The voice of Tru+o+ng Chi rising in song
The long autumn night has come, stop the music
Stop the lute ...

Tru+o+ng Chi

Va(n Cao

Mo^.t chie^`u xu+a tra(ng nu+o+'c chu+a tha`nh tho+
Tra^`m tra^`m kho^ng gian mo+'i rung tha`nh to+
Vu+o+ng va^'t heo may hoa ye^'n mong cho+`
O^i tie^'ng ca^`m ca, Thu to+'i bao gio+`...

Lo`ng chie^`u bo+ vo+ lu'c thu vu+`a sang
Cha^.p chu`ng dde^m khuya thu+'c ai pho`ng loan
Mo^.t ca'nh chim ro+i trong khu'c nha.c va`ng
DDa^y ddo' tu+`ng song he he' ddo+.i dda`n...

Ta^y hie^n My. Nu+o+ng khi nghe tie^'ng nga^n
Ho` khoan mo+ bo'ng con ddo` tro^i
Giai nha^n cu+o+`i ne'p tra(ng sa'ng la? lo+i
La? lo+i be^n tro+`i...

Anh Tru+o+ng Chi
Tie^'ng ha't vo.ng nga`n xu+a co`n rung
Anh thu+o+ng nho+', oa'n tra'ch cuo^.c tu+` ly na~o nu`ng
DDo` tra(ng ca('m giu+~a so^ng va('ng
Gio' ddu+a ca^u ca ve^` dda^u
Nhi`n xuo^'ng dda'y nu+o+'c so^ng sa^u
Thuye^`n anh dda~ chi`m dda^u....

Tu+`ng khu'c nha.c xa vo+`i
Trong dde^m khuya di`u da(.t tie^'ng to+ ro+i
Su+o+ng thu vu+`a buo^ng xuo^'ng
Bo'ng ca^y ven bo+` xa mo+` xoa' do`ng so^ng
Ai qua be^'n giang dda^`u tha thie^'t
Nghe so^ng than mo^'i ti`nh Tru+o+ng Chi
Da^ng u'a tra(ng khi ve^` khuya
Bao tie^'ng ca ru mu`a Thu...

Ngoa`i song mu+a ro+i tre^n bao cung dda`n
Co`n nghe nhu+ ai nu+'c no+? va` than
Tra^`m vu't tie^'ng gio' mu+a
Cu`ng vo+'i tie^'ng nu+o+'c ro'c ra'ch ai co' buo^`n cha(ng
Lo`ng ba^ng khua^ng theo mu+a ddu+a canh ta`n
Ve^` phu+o+ng xa ai nu+'c no+? va` than
Tra^`m vo+'i tie^'ng gio' vu+o+ng
Nhi`n tha^'y nga^'n nu+o+'c la^'p la'nh in bo'ng ddo` xu+a...

DDo` o+i
DDe^m nay do`ng so^ng Thu+o+ng da^ng cao
Ma` ai ha't du+o+'i tra(ng nga`
Ngo^`i dda^y ta go~ va'n thuye^`n ta ca tra'i dda^'t co`n rie^ng ta.
DDa`n dde^m tha^u
Tra'ch ai khinh nghe`o que^n nhau.
DDo^i lu+'a be^n giang dda^`u
Ngu+o+`i ra ddi vo+'i cuo^.c pha^n ly
DDa^u bo'ng thuye^`n Tru+o+ng Chi...

Ngo^`i dda^y ta go~ va'n thuye^`n
Ta ca tra'i dda^'t co`n rie^ng ta...

Tu+` nga`y tra(ng mo+ nu+o+'c in tha`nh tho+
La.c loa`i hu+o+ng thu thoa'ng vu+o+ng ddu+o+`ng to+
Nga^y nga^'t kho^ng gian re^n xie^'t lay bo+`
Bao tie^'ng ca^`m ca rung a'nh sao mo+`

Nha.c co`n lu+u luye^'n nha('c ai huye^`n a^m
La.nh lu`ng do^i da^y to^' lan tra^`m nga^n
Trong lu'c dde^m khuya ai lo'ng tie^'ng ca^`m
Thu dda~ chi`m xa xa a'nh nguye^.t dda^`m

Khoan khoan ddo` o+i\.
Tu+o+ng tu+ tie^'ng ca
Cha`ng Tru+o+ng Chi ca^'t le^n ho` khoan
DDe^m thu da`i dde^'n, khoan tie^'ng nha.c o+i
Nha.c o+i, tho^i dda`n...