Hello, my name is Nha-Anh. I have 3 cultures: Vietnamese, French and American. To introduce them, I would like to take you on a cultural journey through poetry. Now, please sit back, relax and enjoy the ride...
To begin, I would like to tell you a little about the traditional dress I have on today. It�s called ao dai or �long dress� in English. It comes in all colors and different styles. It�s worn on special occasions, but it�s also chosen to be the national uniform for young ladies in high school and college in my native country, Vietnam. Some common ao dai uniform colors are white, light pink and purple. White is the predominant color because it represents purity and freshness, while light pink represents youth, and purple represents the color of dreams. The dress is worn usually with white pants or black pants, but on special occasions, like today, it doesn�t follow conventions and you add a little fantasy here there, matching dress and pants, like the ensemble I have on now.
(The young lady in pink and black dress is my oldest cousin, Minh.)
The romantic image of a young lady in traditional dress, her long hair gently blowing in the wind, has become the subject of countless literatures and the arts. Now is a love poem of a young student silently in love with one of his classmates. So all he can do is watch her from afar.
Da^.y Thi`
Em ddi b++�c nhe. Nhu+ la`n gio�
Tha? To�c da`I cho hoa b++�m v++ng
Ddo^I ta` lu.a tra(�ng dda^`y mo^.ng t++?Ng
Bao tra�I tim trai ru.ng xuo^�ng dd++`ng.
-By Kim Le
Translation
Adolescence
You came soundlessly as a breeze
Butterflies and flowers whisper in your hair
Your silky dress filled w/ dreams
You stir my heart
And through times, with the coming of Western visitors, this adds some western tastes to the traditional dress.
Now is a poem in French describing the coming of Fall.
L�automne
L�aube est moins claire, l�air moins chaud, le ciel moins pur
Les longs jours sont passe�s, les mois charmant finissent
He�las! Voici de�ja` les arbres qui jaunissent
L�automne est triste avec sa bise et son brouillard
Et l�e�te� qui s�enfuit est un ami qui part.
-By Victor Hugo
Translation
Autumn
Dawn is less clear, the air less warm, the sky less pure
Longs days have passed, and charming months ended
Indeed! Here are yellow trees and falling leaves
Sad autumn brings her chills and fog
And summer, a parting friend, flees quickly.
And now, last but not least, from my third culture, English poems that I wrote sometimes ago.
Please click the little fairy...
