The Vietnamese

The Vietnamese

Lloyd Duong

Across this magnificent universe
from the four corners of this wonderful earth

emerged a people, simple but resolute,
upholding their own uniqueness.

They have never been the strongest
and certainly they are not the grandest

but truly they believe
good deeds shall prevail over evil.

They never claimed to be the brightest
and certainly not to be the most proud

but truly they believe
in righteousness and justice.

They rose up against the mightiest
persistently and decisively they resisted

and kept out from their homeland
slave chains of adversaries.

In three great wars they crushed Genghis Khan’s army
countless times they thwarted the northern fleets

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from Asian invaders to European colonialists
all intruders were vanquished in time.

Across this magnificent universe
from the four corners of this wonderful earth

emerged a people called the Vietnamese,
the Exceptional People of the South.

Their land is not among the best fertile
often dried and sometimes flooded

but they nurture with warm heart and mind
to cultivate fine yields of life.

They have never been the wealthiest
but they’re among the most generous

endowed with brave souls and vibrant spirit
channeling love to overcome sufferings.

Defying history’s vicious politics
millions conquered the Pacific’s challenges

with nothing but kindness and love
of the Exceptional People of the South.

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Their journey has never ended
but evolved and kept evolving

to illustrate the compassion in love,
in tragedy and triumph throughout life.
Across this magnificent universe
from the four corners of this wonderful earth
emerged a people with kindness and love,
the Exceptional People of the South.
Lloyd Duong
In midair crossing the Pacific
September 27, 2017
* Việt Nam (Việt: Exceptional . Nam: South)

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