our unity / by kiến nam ( we promise one another / poems from an asian war - selected & published by don luce. ... / washington d.c 1971)

                    our unity
                     by kiến nam


             One morning, chained in the Tiger Cages
                    We met, and understood each other' heart,
                    I saw the blood still red on your shoulder 
                    And the scars of terrible lashes on your back;  
                    As I lay there 
                    My bones and skin crying out in hunger and thirst, 
                    We understood each other through simple looks, 
                    Full of faith,  looking to the eternal future of our country 
                    And yet before the enemy, our spirit hardened
                    As our eyes met  
                    And smiles flourished on our lips comforting one another;
                    We shall fight to death, though they beat us,
                    We shall hold our hands, and live or die together.  
                    A deep love exists in our hearts
                    As though we have known each other sonce long ago, 
                    Long ago when the earth began to turn


                              We met one another at Côn Sơn 
                              Living there together, sharing our food and drink,  
                              Sharing our spirit to struggle
                              So that our country may live in Peace 
                              Independence and Justice 
                              On the cold days of rain
                              You told me the story of a Southern girl  
                              Who chose to die in her youth rather than surrender;  
                              She heard the gun, yet her eyes were still bright, 
                              Blood stained her white dress  
                              And now the flag flies in the cemetery of Hàm Dương.
                              She died at seventeen 
                              Yet will always live in our hearts, 
                              You told me the story of the hero of the Tiger Cages
                              While ouitside the rain feel.  
                              Warming our souls, giving us hope
                              Someone sang a song of love
                              His voice from the next room 
                             Joining  our hearts in hermony

                             We struggle for one another
                              For a brighter day of spring.
                             We thank those who took the first steps 
                             So that we may have this day -- 
                             Each minute and each second -- 
                             Trying to cleanse our souls,
                             We thank those who lost their blood
                             So that we may never regret our sacrifices 
                             Not for Independence and Peace   
                             We offer ourselves without hesistation or regret. 


                             The weakness and pain 
                              And the worries of loneliness have gone  
                             With the coming of love, 
                             Love with destroys the cruelty of man, 
                             The days of hunger  and thirst 
                             When we saved drops of  water and spoonfuls of rice
                                                                                            for each other  
                             Feeds us, raises us to carry out the revolution . 


                                  kiến nam

                                      (p. 103- 105  we promise one another/   poems from an asian war.)

artwork by nguyễn  văn kính