English Version by Thích Trừng Sỹ
A Rose Song for being Pinned on Your Pocket
A rose for you – my sister
A rose for you – my brother
and another one for those
who still have Mothers (or Fathers)
who still have their Mother (or Father) so their hearts can
get happier.
In case one day your gentle Mother (or Father) is gone,
(you are) like a flower without the sun
like a child without a smile.
As if your life would never get grown-up and wiser,
(it is) like the sky without starlight at night.
Mother, Mother is a gently still stream
Mother, Mother who is a song in a fairy’s dream
is the cool shadow in the high noon,
is the bright eye of the moon and stars,
is the torchlight at night while being lost.
Mother, Mother is the sweetest sugarcane
Mother, Mother who is a bunch of the ripest bananas
and areca nuts
is the song of a cricket chirping at night
is warm sunshine at the mulberry field
is great love for life.
Then one day when you come home, you gaze at your
loved Mother lovingly, tenderly, and
look at her longingly
then you say, say to your Mother:
“Dear Mom, Dear Mom, do you know this?
– Know what? – “That I do love you so much, Mom?”
A pink rose has just been pinned on you – my brother’s pocket
A pink rose has just been pinned on you – my sister’s pocket.
Henceforth, I beg you – my brother, I beg you – my sister
Let’s get happy with me, together.
Poem: Zen Master Thích Nhất Hạnh
Music composer: Phạm Thế Mỹ
English version by Ven. Thích Trừng Sỹ
