Fall Serenades: An Evening of Autumn Music

Fall Serenades: An Evening of Autumn Music

After a series of cold and rainy days, the weather improved on a delightful Sunday (November 19, 2023), bringing warmth and sunshine. The streets came alive, teeming with cheerful individuals, as everyone eagerly prepared to embrace the approaching Thanksgiving season. Naturally, we were caught up in the excitement, too. 

At 4 pm on the same day, November 19, 2023, at the Lovers Coffee Shop on Aborn Street in San Jose. The Vietnamese Poetry Foundation, under the leadership of Mr. Le Van Hai, organized the “Literary Evening: Gratitude and You Didn’t Hear the Fall Season”, and also celebrated the birthdays of VTLV members born in the third quarter (October, November, and December); at the same time, they introduced three new works by writer Chinh Nguyen in English-Vietnamese bilingual format: Please Come In …, Anti-Authoritarian Handbook (translated from the book by author Pham Doan Trang), and Thorn In The Heart (in English), temporarily translated as “Bụi Gai trong tim.”

It was slightly over 3 pm, and the Coffee Lovers cafe was already crowded. There were about 200 guests, including the presence of reporters, journalists, and famous personalities active in the community. I met familiar faces like singers Thu Nga and Dong Thao, especially the poet Luu Hong Phuc, who was in charge of the program “Thi Ca Huong Thoi Gian” on Radio Saigon in Dallas.

The image of Ma Soeur leading the younger children aged 3 to 5 to participate in the cultural performance was genuinely precious and greatly appreciated. Ms. Thanh Loan and Mr. Thai Pham led the “Overseas Youth” group. Ms. Thanh Loan represents the young generation abroad; she is intelligent ambitious, and chooses to guide and transmit the Vietnamese language fluently, preserving and passing on the mother tongue in the host country.

The “Sai Gon Nho” cultural group is led by Thuy Nga. She is a singer with a great voice who specializes in war-time music. Along with her are some local singers skilled in music that touches people’s hearts.

The ceremony began with the rituals of saluting the American flag, the national anthem of Vietnam, and a memorial segment led by Mr. Hoang Thuong, who conducted the program with great solemnity.

Next, Chairman Le Van Hai made a joyful season’s greeting. Dr. Nguyen Hong Dung, the vice chairman of external affairs, introduced three works by former chairman Chinh Nguyen. Writer Chinh Nguyen took the stage and expressed his thoughts: “After talking to Father Ly via Zoom, I see that he is now old and weak, enduring the illnesses of old age, after years of living in prison fighting directly with the Communists, demanding freedom, democracy, and human rights for Vietnam in the future. Currently, Father Ly is in severe pain without sufficient medicine and lives alone at the Hue Catholic Convent.” Writer Chinh Nguyen will use all the support money and book sales to send directly to Father Ly.

I would also like to mention Chairman Le Van Hai of VTLV, who is also the head of Thang Mo newspaper. He is always very generous with any event at the Coffee Lovers. Each guest attending received a free drink voucher and a lottery ticket. In addition, he also manages the Mõ Nhân Ái group and regularly provides meals and gifts to the homeless.

The viewpoint and dream of the Vietnamese Poetry Foundation is “When Vietnamese Language Exists, Vietnam Exists” to have future generations. In this spirit, Mr. Thai and Ms. Thanh Loan share the same ambition, so they have contributed to the realization.