Annville Paradise For Kittens Poem by NHIEN NGUYEN MD

Five kittens have been living together
Since the day their mother* left them behind.
This mother cat slept in the woods
Or, she found herself some bushes near the field.
On the day that she didn't have full stomach
She would return to ask for a meal.
This mother cat had to hunt for herself during daytime
At night, she also had to be alert and hyper-vigilant.
We nurtured this mother cat the previous year.
She produced five kittens so she let them inherit the land.
Her kittens included two males and three females.
They became more attractive and special as they grew older.
They slept together in the same cat house.
During warm sunny days, they basked together in the sun.
There were wooden fences that enclosed a swimming pool
These kittens felt safe to play inside these fences.
On wooden fences, there were connected flat planks
Where five kittens exhibited their acrobatic skills.
After losing their interests in walking on these planks
They climbed on neatly trimmed apple trees around swimming pool.
They have a favorite dogwood tree in the backyard.
These kittens would chase each other and climbed up on this tree to escape.
While one kitten sat on a high branch to hide
The other hid at the foot of this tree waiting for a surprise attack.
There was a big maple tree in the far corner of back yard
The trunk of this tree is of several arms' lengths.
The boughs were big and comfortable for kittens to sit or climb.
Five kittens could take their naps on this tree at the same time.
After sleeping, these kittens roamed around
They played, they jumped, they hunted all over the property.
They rested and watched the sky and clouds to relax.
They watched waxed and waned moons and season changes.
They drank water from Koi ponds during warm months.
They basked themselves in the sun and watched their water reflections
There were some frogs watching the sky from these Koi ponds
They hang halves of their bodies in water and halves over lily pads
At times some kittens watched these frogs pedaling their feet.
Under blue sky and white clouds, birds sing many sweet songs.
Schools of Koi fish swam around in circles.
Watching approaching Kois, a kitten might raise or tap its paws.
There are many red Knockout Roses near Koi ponds
During hot summer days, kittens napped under these rose bushes.

NHIEN NGUYEN MD

3/19/2016

* Black cat, Shadow

Translation of Vietnamese poem: Annville Paradise Cho Mèo Con,

NHIEN NGUYEN MD


ANNVILLE PARADISE CHO MÈO CON


Năm mèo con ở với nhau
Từ ngày mẹ chúng bỏ đàn đi xa.
Mẹ mèo ngủ ở rừng cây
Hay nhờ bờ bụi che thân tạm thời.
Ngày nào bụng chẳng được no
Mẹ mèo trở lại xin nhờ bữa ăn.
Mẹ mèo ngày phải đi săn
Đêm thì cảnh giác, vảnh tai rình chờ.
Mẹ này năm trước được nuôi
Nhưng rồi để lại lũ con, nhà này.
Lũ con ba gái, hai trai
Mỗi con mỗi vẻ, mỗi ngày xinh hơn.
Ban đêm chúng ngủ chung chuồng
Ban ngày trời ấm, nằm hong nắng vàng.
Hồ bơi, bọc bởi hàng rào
Năm mèo chạy nhảy chơi quanh hồ này
Hàng rào, thanh gỗ nằm ngang
Năm mèo rón rén bước chân nhẹ nhàng.
Chán rào, mèo lại trèo cây
Mèo trèo cây táo trồng quanh hàng rào.
Khuyển-Mộc mọc ở sân sau
Đuổi nhau mèo chạy, trốn nhau cây này.
Một con nấp ở cành cao
Một con nằm gốc sẵn sàng tấn công.
Cây phong mọc ở cuối vườn.
Cây này to lắm, mấy vòng tay ôm.
Cành to, thoải mái mèo chơi
Rủ nhau đánh giấc, mỗi con mỗi cành.
Ngủ rồi mèo lại chạy quanh
Mèo chơi, mèo nhảy, mèo săn quanh nhà.
Mèo nằm, mèo ngắm trời mây
Bốn mùa thay đổi, trăng già trăng non.
Mùa hè, uống nước hồ Koi
Bên bờ sưởi nắng, mèo soi bóng mình.
Hồ Koi, mấy ếch ngắm trời
Nửa thân dưới nước, nửa ngồi lá xanh.
Mèo ngồi, ngắm ếch đưa chân.
Trời xanh, mây trắng, chim ca rộn ràng.
Hồ Koi, đàn cá bơi quanh
Mèo ngồi ngắm cá, giơ tay lên cào.
Bên hồ, hồng đỏ Knockout
Ngày hè tránh nắng, mèo nằm dưới hoa.

03192016
NHIEN NGUYEN MD