Whispering to the river of childhood

QTO - In everyone's memory, there's a river of childhood that flows endlessly and affectionately. I'm no different; my childhood river isn't long or wide, just a "handspan," enough for someone to build a bridge across to play.

The river that, whenever mentioned, brings back childhood memories, as if whispering to itself: "Does the river remember the days and months, remember all the memories along its flowing current?" The river we are talking about is the Cam Ly River, a branch of the Kien Giang River in Quang Tri province.

A view of the Cam Ly River - Photo: NT

My parents were both born and raised by the Cam Ly River. My father lived at the head of the river, and my mother at the end. The strange thing about this river is that, at its source, it has to be strong and strain to overcome the "Mu Bon" dam before merging with the Kien Giang River and flowing into the open sea. Since ancient times, the villagers have often said that the girls who grew up by this river were all beautiful and gentle. My mother, my aunts, my cousins, and my sisters were all beautiful women, skilled in farming, and devoted to caring for their families.

We grew up in the loving embrace of our parents, sheltered by the river of our homeland. Back then, we children would often gather in groups of three or seven to play, picking flowers and catching dragonflies by the river. On hot summer afternoons, we would jump into the river to swim. For some reason, the river was so calm and gentle back then that there were never any drowning incidents like there are today. The beginning of summer was also the time for harvesting the winter-spring rice crop in my village. Every afternoon, boats laden with rice would bustle along the river. In the evenings, the adults would thresh the rice around the yard, while we children played hide-and-seek among the straw.

The most striking feature of my hometown river is the clusters of yellow water hyacinth flowers, their reflections shimmering in the water. The tree is full of thorns, its leaves lush green, but the water hyacinth flowers are a vibrant yellow, breathtakingly beautiful for anyone who remembers it fondly.

Our generation grew up, leaving behind the river of our childhood, and immersed ourselves in the struggles of life. Occasionally, when we return to our hometown, standing by the river, we gaze wistfully across, silently wondering if our ancestors will ever return, to gaze upon the river of our childhood, as I do?

Water lilies growing on the river - Photo: NT

Many years have passed, yet the Cam Ly River, steeped in the sediments of time, remains unchanged. The river retains its ancient charm, with the same yellow flowering trees lining its banks, helping to prevent erosion and sedimentation on either side. Every year, on the occasion of Vietnam's National Day on September 2nd, the commune organizes boat races between the villages. Young men from the village participate in this festival. During these days, the people of my village temporarily stop their farming work to cheer on the teams as they practice.

When she was alive, my grandmother loved boat racing. Despite her advanced age, she would still wade into the river, scooping cool water with a basin to help the young men steer steadily towards the finish line. And perhaps, not only my grandmother, but all those born from the source of the Kien Giang River consider boat racing an integral part of their lives. Vietnam's National Day (in my hometown, we call it Independence Day) is an occasion for them to return, light incense for their ancestors, and watch the boat racing festival with its lively atmosphere of "boats racing on the river, flags flying in every house."

Amidst the constant changes of life, the river in my hometown silently reflects the passage of time. The river is like a great mother waiting for her children to return, whispering stories of her life. Like us, those mischievous children of yesteryear—some have become doctors, some engineers, some teachers… even with graying hair, every time I return to my hometown, standing before the river of my childhood, I feel comforted, soothed, and empowered to continue fulfilling my youthful dreams…

Ngoc Trang

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/van-hoa/202604/thi-tham-voi-dong-song-tuoi-tho-2903a03/