March and April are coming here

Yesterday

Here sees the first day of spring
the calendar's page falls on a cherry's bud
March is on its way out
April is like an overflowing teardrop

March of that year in my home country:
many a city in panic
many a road bleeding
and many a beach victimized

A soldier just took his own life

his boots have a soul
his helmet has a brain
his uniform is wrapping up a heart
all these items covering his body
make a fitting memorial

March
People trampling on each other
A boat launched into the sea
The soundless screams
the cries alike birds getting lost

March
Sons rushing to look for mothers
You go, just go now
I am too old I will stay

March
husbands rush back to their wives
you go, just go now
and the children they go too
I am a soldier
I will stay

mothers end up losing children
not knowing of their whereabouts
and wives losing their husband
whereabouts also unknown to them

April
the whole country is losing itself
a total loss
nothing remains

the outer parts of the body
with time could be rediscovered
but broken fragments of the heart
that kept falling into small pieces
from the time of the first step
of the evacuation's journey
could never be found again

The evacuees
of any country
all have been losing their hearts
so when they die
they will die with a damaged heart
some of them die
with an empty chest
and a heart completely missing

March here heralds springtime
April with cherry flowers in full bloom
each flower like a pink teardrop
dropping into my heart.

Người dịch: Đặng Vũ Vương