Van Le

The Incense Smell on New Year's Eve

My family wakes at midnight, New Year's Eve.
Lamps blazing, my wife lights the joss sticks.
Spirits of our ancestors
Whirl like dense smoke from the altar.

Like the silent wall, my children sit still,
Listen to my wife's inaudible call to the spirits.
I feel as if my throat is being choked,
Memories of past days and years come rushing back…

Days and years when we crossed the forest stirring dead leaves.
Bombs rained down before us, bombs fell behind us.
My battalion was three hundred men strong.
Only five were left when reached Saigon.

But we shouldn't talk of the past.
Let's gather together dear friends, near and far.
Let's gather together friends of days past,
Friends with no place to go, no home.

Let's gather here where no one will be lost;
The scent of joss sticks will lead the way.
Let's drink a cup of wine together;
Together let's celebrate spring.

The incense still burns in the urn.
My family stays up through the night.
Wind rustles leaves at the gate.
For a moment I hear my friends' footsteps coming home…