Migrant Birds' Song Poem by Nhuan Xuan Le

1.

Oh flocks of birds over the withered woods that fly

and hordes of horses that waver in the fields so dry!

Wake up right now and from now on, you all,

to listen to this passionate song and pressing call!

Continue to advance, be strong,

all of a day long,

even a month to be bound,

a year round,

or a whole life!

A life with strife

between vital breath

and death

without end.

Take away with you what still needs to mend!

Go forwards on the infinite way!

What will be completed to repay?

a pleasure to gain:

how much pain!



2.

Oh our heart, rose-bud,

eternally with red blood

and with love for ever,

why through a century, howsoever,

in our fatherland so many a tribulation,

in our motherland so much degradation,

there have been sufferers and treacherous!



3.

Oh our affectionate, precious,

thousand and thousand times dear,

the great change has pulverized our human sphere!

Time elapsed has not sufficiently dimmed our past,

thus our hearts still have million words to say,

in our feelings limitless loving things still stay.

Within our never-ending thrill,

send our minds onto the top of the winter chill,

drink emptying the morning dew in the cold sky!



4.

If we keep silent as an acceptance to abide by,

if our moves are conceived as a fate,

then what is helpful to debate,

so that all life we can never subside our sorrow

but just add difficulties to our plans for tomorrow!



5.

Well, let us drink,

drain to the dregs the grief and gloom in our think!

Let us visualize the time of our return

albeit a supposition as we yearn,

a dream, whatever.

Let us just temporarily bury dolor in endeavor

in order to love one another more than ever.



6.

The jungle trees will awake in the bright dome

of the sky, the migratory birds will flap back home.

Our days will come and the sun will rise to blaze

Oh humankind, hurry up to get up from the maze!