Elephants
Southern Ben Hai, Truong Son road, 30 April 1964

Nam Ha

I meet the elephants
on the road to the Resistance.
O elephant, elephant,
what a bond we’ve formed!

You cross the stream.
The waters sweep down
the forest calls out for you
the clouds float off above.

You climb the pass
friends move up and down
through the thousand trees
the birds call through the forests.

You climb the pass
friends move up and down
through the thousand trees
the birds call through the forests.

The enemy cuts a path.
You rumble and howl.
You charge headlong,
stomp the world under your feet

Year in year out
in the wind and rain
you march a thousand miles
without a day of rest.

Rifles here, bullets there,
medicine, rice,
forward to the front
with the love of those at the rear.

Here the young wife’s letter,
her winter jacket,
hopes from home,
news of victory

Here the child’s letter,
A painting of a clear sky.
A rifle draped across a knee
As a dove flies above

How old are you, elephant?
Forward you march
for fifteen years
You never rest

You pause by the mountain stream,
I lean against your back.
Neither you nor I say a work
our hearts in perfect tune.

I march to fight the enemy.
You march right along.
You, a warrior, howl
I sing, a poet, sing

Translated by Nguyen Ba Chung and Bruce Weigl