The Songs, Compositions and Poetry of Supreme Master Ching Hai (vegan), Part 13 of a Multi-part Series

“Let us love like tall mountains and vast seas Let us love like clouds floating eternally Let us love each other like the pouring rain and whirling wind Like the beginning of Earth and Heaven

Let us love like a smitten couple Let us give each other a golden heart Let us love each other a little more than we love ourselves No, my heart, speak not of separation

Be together like the moon and stars till eternity Let us soar in the same firmament Be like the joyful river during the season of high tides Be not swayed by swirling currents

Let us give each other poetry and romance Keep our lips fragrant like days of yore Let us overlook the few times of wavering faith For our sake, let us stay steadfast to each other.”

People are inherently peaceful, loving, and forgiving. Somehow, they are pushed into enmity and run after illusionary values; therefore, they forever endure calamities. They wish to be able to see one day “Mother’s smiles as green as new leaves in the garden,” so everyone can be radiant in joy.

“What have we seen tonight? Flags flying, a hundred flags flying Jungles and mountains send the news to all regions The wind of peace wafts in a thousand directions On the happy day, waters flow swiftly The vast rhythm of life erases all animosity To meet the motherland after storms With tears of joy, here’s to the hearts of wood and stone.

What have we seen tonight? Hands in thousands of hands Fragrant fingers heal disabilities Mending amours and broken hearts Hands that connect brothers and sisters Returning to the homeland’s stream to wash away shame and hardship For ten years, each night we heard gunfire From terror, rice paddies and mulberry fields survived.

What have we seen tonight? Flags flying, a hundred flags flying City streets today glow with lights Lights illuminate in villages and neighborhoods Peoples stroll like water flowing past a levee The pensive earth has opened into a smile Rows of green trees change into new garments People march on like forests moving forward.

What have we seen tonight? Lanterns shining, a hundred lanterns shining The earth vibrates under the feet of millions of people Demolishing prisons to build a new day Sunrise sheds light on the future Blood of our brothers and sisters had dyed the sun red Along with dry bones of the dead, we raise our voice Life shall be peaceful in the name of Humanity.

Steam from a fleet of moving trains emitted into the forest Rice fields in Âu Lạc (Vietnam) are sprouting their first new buds Steam from a fleet of moving trains warms both sides of the road A flock of roosters crowing loud to wake up dawn.”

According to Aulacese (Vietnamese) tradition, the full Moon on the first lunar month is a day for festivities, dancing, and singing in joy. Through a Full Moon Festival, one can envision a life of harmony, happiness, and prosperity.

“Reaching a hillside teahouse Sitting under the banyan tree under the banyan tree Who inspires her to come to the festival on the full moon night by the banyan tree?

Chestnut colored fabric made into a dress with five flaps Who inspires her to don the dress on this festival on a full moon night of the first month?

Cleaving the bamboo to weave a hat a flat hat, a beautiful flat hat Who weaves for her a hat to wear to the festival on a full moon night of the first month?”