The longan tree was planted by Mrs. Nam in the corner of the yard next to my house for several decades. I remember in the late 90s of the last century, when my family moved here, we saw the longan tree with lush branches and leaves, a sturdy trunk, and a large shaded area of the yard. In the free afternoons, I often took my children to Mrs. Nam's house to play. We sat and chatted on the porch, watching the children in the neighborhood playing under the tree. The sound of laughter and chatter filled the space. The neighborhood's affection was built up from afternoons like that, bringing us closer together with more sympathy and sharing.
Around the end of February and the beginning of March, the longan tree quietly blooms. Each cluster of small, pale yellow flowers gently sways in the wind, exuding a gentle fragrance. Having gone through many seasons of flowers with that gentle fragrance, I have come to realize that, amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, the gentle yet equally charming fragrance of this familiar tree is like a spiritual medicine that makes my heart peaceful. Perhaps it is because, to fully enjoy the quintessence of the scent of longan flowers, the mind must be truly at ease, whether in the early morning or late at night, when the scent is most intense. In March, along with the strong scent of grapefruit and the fragrant scent of lemon, longan flowers contribute to bringing a charming charm to life.
Longan season usually occurs in July. Clusters of round, brown or light yellow fruits hang from the branches. Just looking at them, you can see the juiciness, sweetness and characteristic aroma.
When Mrs. Nam’s longan tree was in fruit season, almost every day, the children in my neighborhood gathered in front of the yard, looking up at the bunch of fruit. Just waiting for Mrs. Nam to nod, one of them quickly ran into the kitchen to get a long pole with a smart clip on one end and a huge basket. And after ten minutes, the small yard was filled with happy laughter and exclamations of delicious longan.
Every time I see the children engrossed in picking bunches of sweet longan, I can’t help but remember my childhood days. At that time, my grandfather also planted 2 longan trees by the pond bridge. He said that those were longan trees, he had taken the trouble to buy seedlings from Hung Yen with big, round fruit, smooth skin, crispy flesh, clear as amber, sweet, cool and fragrant water. However, when planted in the barren soil of my hometown, the longan fruit no longer had the sweet and fragrant taste as he said, but it was enough to make me and my friends look forward to it.
July comes to my hometown with storms. Every time a storm passes, the small pond bridge is filled with fallen leaves and longan fruit. My grandfather rolls up his pants and shirt, bends down to look for the fallen longan fruit, puts them in a basket, washes them, and tells me to share them with my friends. The longan fruit soaked in water overnight has an unexpectedly sweet and cool taste. The sweet and fragrant taste of that fruit has followed me to this day.
Sitting listening to the sound of longan fruit falling on the roof, I remembered the verses of the poet Tran Dang Khoa that I had memorized since childhood. It was the poem “Huong longan” printed in the collection “Goc san va khong troi”: “Every year, the longan season ripens/My brothers and sisters come home to visit/You climb up quickly/Hands holding the bunches of longan/This year the longan season has come/You have not come home to visit/Our longan fruit has been bombed/Still blooming with golden flowers (...)/Night. The longan scent thickens/Fragrant outside the yard and inside the house/My mother lies awake/Missing you who are far away...”.
When I was young, every time I read poems in this collection such as "Huong Nhan", "Cay Bang", "Danh Tam Cuc", "Con Buom Vang"... I secretly dreamed that one day I would also know how to write poetry, and would also be able to express my thoughts and feelings through each page.
I suddenly smelled the scent of longan on the wind. I stood up, reached for my umbrella, and started walking to Mrs. Nam's house.
Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/thuong-hoai-mua-nhan-post562253.html
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