Về Bến Sông Xưa
MINH ĐỨC HOÀI TRINH
Áo biếc xưa về qua bến tạnh
Ngày xuân tóc mới chớm ngang vai
Chị đi thoáng chút hương xoan muộn
Sóng sánh nghiêng lòng bao gã trai
Khăn đào xưa đùa cùng gió nội
Theo người qua trăm chặng lao đao
Chị gánh sương đi từ hừng sáng
Khuya về, vai nặng gánh trăng sao
Cậu bé ngày xưa thường tha thẩn
Ôm đàn ra bến hát nghêu ngao
Đón chị, đón quà, và đón cả
Vòng tay thơm gió bụi ngọt ngào
Hương xoan nay đã xa vời vợi
Thuyền cũ đi về vắng bóng ai
Lênh đênh trên bến vần thơ trắng
Nhuộm áo khăn xưa màu trăng phai
(Trích: Thơ Miền Nam Trong Thời Chiến -
Thư Ấn xuất bản 2006, trang 361)
Coming Back To The
Old River Wharf In Spring
Formerly, wearing her bluish robe, she came home by passing the river-wharf in the fine weather
During her young days, her hair was just long enough to touch her shoulders
Her way of going was slightly spreading some fragrance of China-tree's flowers in late flower-season
Which shaked and moved so many young men's hearts
Her yellowish-red head dress of the old time, joyfully amusing with prairie-breezes
Followed her through hundreds of stages of hardships
She had to get out of home in dense fogs at early dawn
And only came home late at night under the sky full of moon and stars
There was in those old days a young boy often wandering here and there
Who brought in his arms a musical instrument to the river-wharf and sing for entertainment
He waited to welcome her, to get gifts from her
And even to wait for her dusty-windy but sweety embraces
The fragrance of china-tree's flowers in something too faraway, nowadays.
The old boat moves back and forth without any familiar silhouette!
Alone, she seems to be floating nearby the river-wharf with some poem to be composed.
And would dye her robe and head-dress in the color of the waning moon!