The wind blows in from all directions,
Arriving to flood my soul,
The “The Blue Ao Dai” by Doan Chuan – Tu Linh (1955).
The wind blows in from all directions,
Arriving to flood my soul,
Awakening it.
My boat is but a leaf floating out to sea,
Returning to you, hidden, sealed like clouds in the sky
Waiting night after night for dawn, dreaming of someone.
Yet more dreaming comes to naught!
We met in autumn,
Courted in winter,
Loved in spring,
And ended it that spring.
One left for home – how was that tolerable?
I remember when you said:
“How can spring arrive, yet the leaves fall ?
How can spring arrive, yet the leaves fly ?”
My dear! Is there a flower that hasn’t withered?
Has there ever been a cloudless sky ?
Has there ever been a love that hasn’t faded?
Do you remember when I said:
“When you come with me,
Please don’t forget your blue ao dai.”
Dear, who would suspect that
Such a color as that loving blue
Would never fade?
One afternoon, papers from spent fireworks
Blew past, scattering across the veranda.
You walked through the papers,
I walked, too, my eyes downcast,
Resigned to your fate.
My soul was frozen when I left.
Apricot flowers fell petal by petal on the road.
I left so coldly, I knew more regrets were useless.
Flowers wither, love dissipates.
We fall in love only to long for each other;
We long for each other only to be flooded by sorrow.
Oh ephemeral, mortal love!
The dreamer comes to me in early morning
And leaves me in sorrow.
Night after night we await the dawn, dreaming of each other.
Yet more dreaming comes to naught.
We met in autumn,
Courted in winter,
Loved in spring,
And ended it that spring.
One left for home – how was that tolerable?
I remember when you said:
“How can spring have arrived, yet we’re not happy ?
How can spring have arrived, yet we’re not light ?”
My dear! Is there a moon that hasn’t waned ?
Is there a kite that couldn’t fly ?
Is there a love that isn’t passionate?
Do you remember when I said:
” My soul forgets,
My feelings fade. “
Dear, I never thought
There could be a love like mine for you
That wouldn’t fade.
Maybe some frozen afternoon
Our souls will seek each other-
You’ll dream within the sound of a song
And I, within my amorous lyrics.
Can you blame the flower for withering ?
Alone, I’ll weave a few melodies:
Music is life’s record of love, telling
How flowers wither, how music diffuses …
