Baby Selene

Though you are not here,

Your presence is felt.

From the moment we met,

You’ve been a friend.

More than once we changed addresses,

Our friendship didn’t end.

Today I hold your grand-baby,

The first you won’t see.

I imagine your laugh,

As pride swells inside you.

You touch her soft hair,

Which is black as coal.

You kiss her wide eyes,

Which intensely gaze at you.

A doting grandma you’d be;

You whip out a magic wand.

And she’d be draped in laces,

Frilly dresses, of pink and white.

She gurgles her delight,

You respond in kind.

I call her a princess,

You nod in approval.

What a beautiful baby,

Basked in radiant love.

You whisper ‘Selene,’

Her name sounds so sweet.

Collage #30

I, The Beautiful Angel of Ngoại,

Have the most beautiful smile.

And I display it well

When things go right, of course.

My brother can show off his skills

In the pool and on his bike.

He can charm people with his prowess.

All I have to do is smile.

My brother likes to flash his sword

To uncle Zach and cậu Thal.

He thinks he’s a knighted Superman.

All I have to do is smile

My brother likes to wear his dragon helmet,

Jump into the pool, and dive to its bottom

To retrieve rings and get applauded.

All I have to do is smile.

Sitting in my float and wearing a cool swim cap,

I am being trained at an early age.

To hide a competitive streak that runs in the family,

All I have to do is smile.

My brother likes to hold me.

He shows his affection with lots of kisses.

He thinks I’m the sweetest girl on earth,

Until I beat him in the swimming game, maybe.

One-hundred-word Snippet - Chè

I was choosing various chè desserts to buy when my brother called from another city. I told him I had a hankering for chè and needed to concentrate on my shopping. Afterwards, I stood in line to pay. The line was long and it moved slowly. In the end, I left without buying. Months later, we got together, my brother and I. He told me he went out to get chè after we talked. He became hungry for it during our talk. He was the one who got to eat chè, I was the one with the hankering. Not fair.

Collage 29

The sun’s still shining

On the Texas fields

The fun never stops

When my sis appears

She is so much fun

Though she’s not spoken

Her cheeks are so soft

Her smiles gladden hearts

I want her to grow

As big as I am

So we can ride bikes

And go to the pool

When I feed a goat

I want her there, too

I will share my friends

And my toys with her

Even my dragons

Bike helmet and shoes

My red hooded cape

Whatever she wants

I will make her laugh

Teach her how to run

Surely she’ll follow

Wherever I go

Night

Darkness falls

Silence presides

Resting time

For my eyes, and my soul

Thoughts shuffle

Memories flicker

Creative time

For images, imaginary and real

Eyes’re heavy

Clarity wanes

Transition time

For my mind, and body

Into another world I go

Worries are left behind

Dreaming time

Peaceful night, asleep.

Black Velvet Sweater - 100-word snippet

When I was about four years old, my mother made me a beautiful black velvet sweater. She put it on me one cold morning. That was my only layer and it did not keep me warm. I shivered and my teeth chattered as I was buying sweet rice from a street vendor. I was not comfortable, but everywhere I went, I received a compliment about the black velvet sweater. I was a quiet child and did not complain. Perhaps I was too cold to talk. I learned at the early age that you cannot judge the book by its cover.

Memories of You

You are still very much in my memories

In your garden of roses and orchids
The flowers flourished under your care
And repaid you with beautiful blossoms in warm air

At the corner that marks your name

We sat on the grey cement block
I took off what was left of your hair
And cut the nails of your thin fingers short

You had a peaceful smile on your face

With a calm acceptance of a dreadful fate
You did not show me your pain
Nor any doubts you might have had of your faith

We took a walk on the waterfront

I learned about your love of boating
I learned about the loneliness of a young soldier
And the devotion to his wife and daughter

I learned about your philosophy of life

A red rose though simple, it shows beauty and grace
I learned about your adoration of life
The joy friendships bring, the blessings you’ve got

It was the last season of fall we were together
I’m grateful for the chance to be with you then, forever
A few days of an almost carefree time
A road trip to San Diego, we three took

It’s been two years since you departed

The train trip that still carries me on
I’ll be back to where we once were sitting
To give her my love while we share the memories of you