Four Life Long Friends Poem by NHIEN NGUYEN MD

FOUR LIFE LONG FRIENDS

Today, our friends paid a visit to our home
First to have a good chat and then, to harvest Asian pears.
This place is our Annville Paradise
We talked, we laughed, we ate and drank to our satisfaction.
Very soon, Summer is going to fold its dress
And within a week, Autumn will be at our front door steps.
Setting a date for our rendez-vous
We mixed our love with the food that we cooked
We stir-fried sliced beef that was sautéed with lemon grass
We blackened large shrimps on a greased frying pan for aroma and crisp
We collected garlic chives and mints from home garden
Along with fish mint and water lemon herb.
We wrapped cooked beef and shrimps with rice paper
Along with mints, lettuce to make delicious rolls.
Our friends brought freshly picked red chilly from their plants
To add hot taste to the dipping sauce of fine shrimp-paste.
Our friends also brought moon cakes and pork ear cold cut
And a bottle of wine to exult the taste of our friendships.
Our friendships have been deep for many years
Since the days we became war refugees in ‘75
When we met the first time in a foreign land.
Being physicians, from acquaintances we became friends.
As we ate, we looked back at our years of friendships
Which have been forty years since the first time we met.
Our children have claimed their successes and fame
We have claimed the grand-parenthood for a decade.
Many changes happened throughout these four decades
But our friendships have been solid all these years.
We have been blessed with healthy bodies and minds
We have wives to share meals during day and embrace during nights.
We thank God of heavens for many blessings
We pray that we cherish our friendships for the rest of our lives.

NHIEN NGUYEN MD
9/16/2017