The Tale of Mother Vietnam

I had 100 children born from the legend “Rồng Tiên”.

After 4,000 years of upheaval with frequent blood and fire,

I survived with ninety-six million children of mine.

Millions of them have left me with a guilt they couldn’t hide.

 

When I was a young girl two millennia ago,

The barbaric Chinese conqueror forced me to become his mate.

My two girls, “Trắc and Nhị”, blew up with thunderous rage,

Charging their elephants into battle, butchering those barbaric faces.

 

How much more strength could my two girls need

To fight off the Han Chinese advancing like the savage beasts.

The heroic sisters’ revolt held them off for three years.

Though hopelessly outnumbered, my girls ended their lives without fear.

 

Ngô Quyền, my dearest son whom I put to the task:

To rise up for vengeance even after a thousand years had passed

Vowing to turn “Bạch Đằng River” into a Chinese burial place.

Knowing his resolve, the Chinese couldn’t hide their shivering faces.

 

“I endured a thousand years while the Han Chinese dominated.

They passed me around as their favored mate.

After Chinese hands came Frenchmen.

Taking their turn, they soiled my body, hands after hands.”

 

After the end of World War II, I thought my ordeal was over,

But the shameless Frenchmen returned to claim me forever.

“Go away French! But they looked at me with disdain;

Enraged, do-or-die, I drew up my battle plan.”

 

Điện Biên Phủ! Here I come to teach those bastards;

I surrounded them with artillery shelling, my tactical arts.

France surrendered but soon the U.S. intervened for peace?

In 1954, they conspired to cut my body in half, for the world to see.

 

My Northern children endured lack of foods and clothing;

By nightfall, “Uncle Hồ” told them to use their eyes and ears for spying.

The Southern children learned to protect each other

Then, weekends came with movies and soccer games to offer.

 

But, Mom’s life was still laden with misfortunes.

Peace was short-lived, in just a few years, then out of tune.

“Go South”, Uncle Hồ ordered his weary troops,

“Take over the South by any means in the red book.”

 

On April 30^th, 1975, my body was sewed back to one piece.

“Liberation!” they said, but why did one half sob and the other half laugh?

The Northern children charged into the South to claim their precious loot;

The Southern ones scrambled to the sea, without one last look.

 

Mom asked, “How many died in the open sea?

How many lost their lives in the murky jungle, trying to flee?

How many girls and women were savagely raped?

And how many bodies were treats for the fish?”

 

I agonize because my children are tormented

While braving the rough sea for a life of breathing free.

Your peaceful lives are now in jeopardy

Those bastards are here to trouble us.

 

“Đàm Vĩnh Hưng” is simply the most hated name.

The brainless barber first sings for foods and now for fame

While the communist party continues thanking him for its financial gains,

Singing lullabies for his Vietnamese feckless fans.

 

For crying out loud, so many “Việt Kiều” foolish youths,

Have been flooding Bolsa, and now Philadelphia.

His coming here only to be met with shouts and jeers

From the Vietnamese who vow to keep “Lửa chống cộng”, near and dear.

 

Đàm Vĩnh Hưng is merely a singer for hire.

If there were no promoters, we wouldn’t waste our time.

Protesting the promoters is like a stone killing two birds

That strategy has never failed if “bầu show” exposed first.

_()_

Life is full of Surprises

Thought I have found my peaceful lives

Only to discover a nutcase is camping nearby

Wish he just stayed in Bolsa with his peers

Don’t come to Philly so I can drink my beer.

 

The old wound re-infected

It’s good that Đàm Vỉnh Hưng seemed less friendly;

We haven’t seen him in Philadelphia lately.

So I grabbed a beer to enjoy with barbecued dried squid,

Suddenly came the news, “Tri Quang” just breathed his last.

 

Emails already flooded my inbox

Containing many subjects with malicious allegations.

Most of the emails from zealous Diệm Ngô’s supporters

Accusing Trí Quang: “a communist disguised as a shaved-head monk.”

 

Those who still revered Ngo couldn’t wait to unload their rancor

Spewing malicious slander at Trí Quang to please their hateful hearts.

Even Quảng Đức’s self-immolation several decades ago was brought up,

Catholics alleged he was barbecued alive by punk Buddhist monks.

 

The Buddhists concentrated on chanting “A Di Đà Phật”

They believed in the Quảng Đức’s miraculous heart relic he left behind.

The self-immolation monk no longer had to defend his sacrifice

While Catholics bowed their heads: “Yes, Father”, and “Dear God.”

 

Mother see that you take your gods to the internet

Using Jesus and Buddha to settle your scores;

Wanting to know whose god is mere silver or real gold,

The same way you placed bets on a soccer match.

 

Alexandre de Rhodes scolded us right after the match:

“Without me, there would be NO Vietnamese written language

Neither Vietnamese Christians and Catholic churches;

I came here, leading the way for the French imperialists.”

 

Sure thanks, de Rhodes had made us more educated?

O U I was our first lesson: “Oui, Monsieur”

In a little while, we forgot who we were;

We stopped “Mô Phật” and bowed our head “Amen” before Jesus.

 

The Frenchmen wanted us to become their buffaloes and horses

To colonize us for their Mother France.

One hundred years exhausted all the patience in my plan

Mom told the Việt Minh, “rise up and kick their fatty butts.”

 

But the Frenchmen kept acting like a hard-headed, foolish bunch

Still speaking arrogantly after being crushed at Điện Biên Phủ.

Finally, they made a pact to head South with a million Việt

Among them were Bảo Đại, Catholic followers, and the clan of Diệm.

 

After only one year, Diệm found faults with the Emperor

Forcing Bảo Đại to abdicate and send the Frenchmen packing.

Naming himself President ruling from the lofty ninth cloud,

And let Hồ subjugate North Vietnam no one dared to shout.

 

But, Mom’s life was laden with misfortunes;

Peace was short-lived, in just a few years, then out of tune.

“Go South,” Uncle Hồ ordered his weary troops,

“Take over the South by any means in the red book.”

 

On April 30^th, 1975, my body was sewed back to one piece.

“Liberation!” But why did one half sob and the other half laugh?

Northern children charged into the South to claim their precious loot;

The Southern ones scrambled to the sea, without one last look.

 

Mom asked, “How many died in the open sea?

How many lost their lives in the murky jungle, trying to flee?

How many girls and women were savagely raped?

And how many bodies were treats for the fish?”

 

Children! You must learn how to save yourself

 

Mom’s sad because I do not know what else to do.

You children snarl at each other like wolf packs fighting

Because of the rigid Roman Catholic upbringing

You continue to feud with Buddhism — saying it’s a bad faith.

 

Hatred and love come from your Vietnamese heart

Though you are not related by blood, you are all my children.

You should treat each other with a kinder and tender soul

For in graveyards in Vietnam, you only see “Amen” or “Mô Phật”.

 

Perhaps, your fate may have been sealed

Lý, Trần, Lê, Nguyễn, could be changed to Xi.

If you don’t wake up from your slumber before it’s too late,

Vietnam will be finished as a country and begin its new colonial fate.

 

Settling Old Scores – Then and Now…

 

During the Vietnam War, you children killed each other with bombs;

Today, you settle old scores with loud mouths and speakers.

“Đả Đảo Việt Cộng” whenever Đàm Vĩnh Hưng appears in Philly,

Shouting “Down with Vietnam communism” one, two, three.

 

Nature had its own tussle between the ocean and mulberry valleys,

So did our societal scuffle leave us lamented in heart (The Tale of Kieu).

Independence has been with us for more than forty years;

Why are you still in bed with China — are they your peers?

 

The Chinese army march toward our doorstep,

And why are you still deep in your “f****in” sleep.

Vietnam, arise from your damn slumber!

Arm your people with the resolve to defend your borders.

 

It was your past ignorance I could not undo

Because you did not know how evil Lenin and Uncle Ho were.

But now you know how bad they have been;

It’s not too late to undo your mistreatment to your kin.

 

The Vietnamese are known for their valor

For their courage to stand up to any challenges they had faced.

Fighting China, defeating Frenchmen, sending home Yankees,

But don’t be such an a**hole to fight each other for the world to see.

 

Millions of Vietnamese like me

Longing for a return home to a democratic Vietnam

“Losing our parents, we all do

But losing our country to China, we become their buffaloes for life.”

 

In resignation…

Why does civil war continue until this day? 

Too many tears for my kindred who’ve lost their way.

United we stand, divided we fall — you know that!

Perhaps, “family feud” shall be forever known as, “The Vietnamese way?”

 

Mother Vietnam

April 30, 2020

 

Footnotes:

Rồng Tiên: The Sea Dragon and Mountain Fairy legend

Việt Kiều: Overseas Vietnamese

Lửa chống cộng: anti-communist flame

bầu show: show promoter

Đàm Vĩnh Hưng: a Vietnamese communist party singer

Bolsa: Bolsa Ave in Little Saigon, Westminster, CA

April 30, 1975: the date Saigon capital surrendered

Uncle Hồ: Hồ Chí Minh

Ngô Đình Diệm: President of the Republic of Vietnam

Trắc & Nhị: the two-sister heroins of Vietnam.

Ngô Quyền: a Vietnamese general who defeated the Chinese and became emperor of Vietnam.

Bạch Đằng River: north of today’s Hai Phong, Vietnam

Alexandre de Rhodes: French missionary

Lý, Trần, Lê, Nguyễn: common Vietnamese last names

Xi: for Xi JingPing – President of China

Bảo Đại: The last emperor of Vietnam.

Mô Phật: Vietnamese Buddhist greetings

Trí Quang & Quảng Đức: google them for more info.