A fool

I thought I was a fool,

For loving you so.

I wished I was loved and cherished.

I wished you longed to see me,

Because I couldn’t wait to see you

Then your letter changed the way I saw things.

My heart beats a happy tune.

My feet skip a step or two.

Now I know

I belong to the world of love.

Now I know

You need me as much as I think of you.

How could I be a fool

To ever doubt you.

Collage 9 & 10

Here you are,

Pulling on my heartstrings;

Though you are

A thousand mile away.

How do you accomplish such things,

As having me wrapped around your finger?

When you cry, I jerk.

When you smile, I lurch.

But I don’t mind the flirt,

‘Cause you work a miracle since your birth.

You Will Never Die

You will never die

In my heart

My tears will never dry

When you leave

I pack a box full of hopes

When you open it

Angels will sing

Love will glow

Joy will flow

Peace and comfort will be

Surrounding you

A miracle will happen

Whether large or small

You’ll never be alone

God will lift your spirits

I am thankful for

The time we spend together

The laughter we share

The sweet moments life grants us

To ease the pain we must bear

Amid the blessings we thus have

Open the box when you’re ready

And think of me as I of you.

Feb 11, 2014

My First Birthday

For Nhỏ Con Rồng

January 19, 2014

Today I turned one.

What a fun time I had.

Both grandmas came to town,

And so did cousins, uncles, and aunts,

Along with many friends, some large some small.

Mommy played the birthday song

In Mozart theme and five variations,

Both in church in the morning

(Where I was in Daddy’s arms but for a short moment)

And at home after the cake she baked was cut and eaten.

I played with my toys, wearing the outfit

That bà ngoại got from Yokahama Chinatown.

It is in blue, my favorite color,

With a golden dragon on its back.

I was the happiest child the world around.

We had a swell party at the Zilker playground

Where under the blue sky a big red dragon danced its steps.

Food and drink on the picnic table are spread.

We munched on bánh mì and drank the La Croix fizz.

We blew bubbles and rode the Zephyr in the warm January breeze.

I had so many presents even though needing none.

My friends were too generous, I appreciated them all.

But to tell the truth I’d have had as much fun

If no present was given but the presence of us all.

I’m basking in the afterglow of turning one year old.

Collage 8

With this collage, I close the old year and welcome the new one. With hopes and dreams, we embark on our upcoming journeys. With anticipations and expectations, we start a new chapter of our lives. May it be filled with precious moments, full of joy and kisses and laughter and love – enough to carry us through and some extra to spread all around.

I left my heart in Kyoto

I left my heart in Kyoto

When the autumn leaves were so brilliantly red

I walked the old city with friends long ago met

And marveled at its sights in the beautiful weather we had

At the temples we washed our hands

Before entering the main chambers bare-footed

We admired a thousand and one statues of Kannon

Who protects us with her thousand outstretched arms

We climbed the stairs of a temple lit up at night

Traversed the torri gates of the Fushimi shrine

Crossed the river where our friends had spent their time

And tasted food from a vendor on the side

We drank green tea swirled in golden flecks

Sampled sweet morsels given to us to try

We had ramen and udon the Japanese style

Ate our fills of sushi and warmed our bodies with wine

On the hill that stands Kiyomizu-dera

We read our fortunes from omikuji and tested our luck

We meditated in a peaceful morning at a rock garden

Then strolled the ground of the temple of Peaceful Dragon

We saw the reflection of the Golden Pavilion

With its phoenix atop on the mirror pond

Rebuilt from the original temple at its very site

Where the glory of Yoshimitsu pervaded ‘til this day

With sorrow we bid Kyoto goodbye

Taking our memories with us on a bullet train ride

Falling asleep after a weekend of delight

We awoke to the wonders of Tokyo Christmas lights

Janet

For Janet, from whom love flowed without ever pausing, to whom I dedicate this page, who embraced life with a zeal and a giggle. Near the end of your life, you watched your son get married, laughed with your friends, dressed up for Halloween, met your potential future in-laws, held your loved ones close; and with determination and against the odds, you had swum in a volcanic crater, glided across a zip wire, and done horseback riding. You were truly LIVING the months up to your going to heaven, not dying as many had feared.
Janet, when I read this poem by Mary Elizabeth Frye, I think of you. You are the energy, the love, the happiness, the laughter. You are life.
 

Do not stand at my grave and weep,

I am not there; I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow,

I am the diamond glints on snow,

I am the sunlight on ripened grain,

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there; I did not die.
 
In my language, the poem may say:

Xin em đừng khóc bên mộ tôi.

Tôi đã bay xa, tôi đâu nằm yên giấc.
Tôi là gió thổi, là mây bay,
Là lóng lánh kim cương trên tuyết trắng,
Là ánh sáng mặt trời trên lúa non.
Tôi là mưa mùa thu rơi nhè nhẹ.
Khi em tỉnh dậy bình minh còn yên tĩnh,
Thấy những con chim tung cánh bay—
Đó là tôi rạo rực chuyến dạo chơi.
Tôi là ngôi sao chiếu sáng ban đêm.
Em ơi đừng khóc bên mộ tôi.
Tôi đâu có đó, tôi vẫn còn đây.
 
I thought I’d be crying, but I’m smiling. The sadness is there, but I feel a peace that is passed down from above, telling me you are free from pain and you are on a fun journey.

Dedicated to Janet Vo, who died on Christmas Eve 2013.