Mother’s hard breath

by Phan Hoang

Drowsily at night the sound of mother’s hard breath
The sound of the stork disintegrating for hundreds of years of rain and shine
the sound of sad and happy precipitation, the river overflowing to the sea

Throwing away the burden of wander in vain
flying back to the childhood home, monologue with spring wind, memories
like a wild cow coming back to breathe the familiar smell of the barn
bowing to apologize with deep respect
night and night guarding the sound of mother’s hard breath
heavy heart on the snowy mountain, painful thoughts

in the garden, insects sang diligently
welcomed the sprouts rising from the ground
the wind whispered in its warmth
tears silently cut into the heart of the night
falling with each breath, mother predicted
the world’s biggest and painful storm smoldering

wished my wind like a new sprout stirred the ground
and mother’s body was a garden of youth, warm and wild