The Old House - Poem by Hoang Dang Khoa

Illustration: Van Nguyen

Get off at Lien Khuong airport
Luggage a chest of memories

Coffee shop halfway up the hill
Wood carving board
The old house

My old house is at the end of the fog
Where she picked at the crispy pork rinds
put in the bowl of rice I half-fed
Mom put me under my nap
some chili candy when going to the market
My father built a raft during the flood season so I could pretend to go out to sea.
I climbed up the high star fruit branch
look at the train like a snake
crawling at the end of the sky
I ran across the cracked riverbed in the drought season.
I had a childhood without friends
Only worn out books and thirst to go away

The more I go, the more I realize.
Every airport is just a runway
And the old house
So high up in the clouds...

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/can-nha-xua-tho-cua-hoang-dang-khoa-18525102517502273.htm