Xin gu+?i dde^'n qu'i vi. lo+`i cha`o tra^n tro.ng, vo+'i nie^`m ha^n hoan cu?a to^i ddu+o+.c go'p pha^`n nho? be' cu?a mi`nh va`o chu+o+ng tri`nh Ho^.i Lua^.n Ca'c Nha` Va(n Nhu+~ng Nu+o+'c Co' Chie^'n Tranh\.

Na(m tru+o+'c dda^y, ca'c va(n hu+~u cu?a to^i: quy' anh Tra^`n Doa~n Nho, Tra^`n Hoa`i Thu+ va` Tra^`n Trung DDa.o, dda~ tham du+. Ho^.i Lua^.n tre^n die^~n dda`n na`y, nho+` va^.y ma` ngu+o+`i VN kha('p no+i co' ddu+o+.c nhu+~ng tho^ng tin quy' ba'u, rie^ng to^i la.i ddu+o+.c vinh du+. ga(.p va` thu+a chuye^.n cu`ng qui' vi. ho^m nay\. 

Thu+a Qui' Vi., 

DDu+o+.c sinh ra va` lo+'n le^n ta.i Mie^`n Ba('c Vie^.t Nam (MBVN) , tuo^?i tre? cu?a to^i tu+`ng chu+'ng kie^'n nhu+~ng ba.o ddo^.ng cu?a nha` ca^`m quye^`n ddi.a phu+o+ng\. Nhu+ quy' vi. dda~ ro~, MBVN, tru+o+'c 1945 la` xu+' ba?o ho^. cu?a ngu+o+`i Pha'p\. Sau 1945, cho dde^'n Ho`a Ho^.i Geneva 1954, Ba('c VN co' nhu+~ng pha^`n dda^'t thuo^.c Chi'nh Phu? Quo^'c Gia Vie^.t Nam (VN), cu~ng co' nhu+~ng pha^`n dda^'t thuo^.c Chi'nh Phu? VN Da^n Chu? Co^.ng Ho`a\. Nhu+~ng ha`nh ddo^.ng tu`y tie^.n, ba^'t cha^'p su+. tha^.t, le~ pha?i, lua^.t pha'p cu?a ngu+o+`i ca^`m quye^`n, ca? Pha'p, ca? Co^.ng Sûn, khie^'n to^i tha^'y mi`nh co' bo^?n pha^.n pha?i ca^`m bu't ghi la.i\.

To^i dda~ chu+'ng kie^'n ta^.n ma('t,  vie^.c nha` ca^`m quye^`n Co^.ng Sa?n VN cho ba('t mo^.t dda?ng vie^n Vie^.t Nam Quo^'c Da^n DDa?ng (VNQDDD) va` ddem ddi ma^'t ti'ch, chi? vi` - ngu+o+`i da^n dde^`u bie^'t - du` cu`ng mu.c ddi'ch cho^'ng Pha'p, nhu+ng ddo^`ng tho+`i, ca'c chie^'n si~ quo^'c gia trong to^? chu+'c VNQDD, cu~ng cho^'ng Co^.ng Sa?n quye^'t lie^.t ! 

To^i dda~ ta^.n ma('t chu+'ng kie^'n nhu+~ng dda'm ru+o+'c cu?a Co^ng Gia'o, Pha^.t Gia'o ta.i Phu? Kim So+n, thuo^.c ti?nh Ninh Bi`nh (MBVN), ma` Gia'o da^n cu~ng nhu+ Pha^.t tu+?, buo^.c pha?i tan ha`ng, vi` du ki'ch ddi.a phu+o+ng ta^.p tra^.n, cha.y xuye^n qua ha`ng ngu~ cu?a mo.i ngu+o+`i! Vie^.c na`y ddu+o+.c Gia'm Mu.c Le^ Hu+~u Tu+` ho^`i ddo', nha^n danh la` Co^' Va^'n To^'i Cao cu?a chi'nh phu? Vie^.t Nam Da^n Chu? Co^.ng Ho`a (Co^.ng Sa?n), pha?n ddo^'i le^n Ba('c Bo^. Phu?, cho ra(`ng chi'nh phu? Ho^` Chi' Minh la` co^.ng sa?n, ne^n mo+'i dda`n a'p to^n gia'o\. 

DDa^'t nu+o+'c to^i trong giai ddo.an 1945-1954 la` nhu+ the^' ddo'\. 

To^i muo^'n ca^`m bu't, ti`m hie^?u va` vie^'t ra su+. tha^.t dde^? ddo^`ng ba`o to^i kho^ng bi. lu+`a ga.t\. 

To^i muo^'n la le^n, nhu+ ngu+o+`i tho+. ho+'t to'c cu?a O^ng Vua Tai Lu+`a trong chuye^.n co^? ma` to^i dda~ ddo.c\. Ca^u chuye^.n ke^?: O^ng Vua co' 2 tai gio^'ng tai con Lu+`a, chi? co' ngu+o+`i tho+. ho+'t to'c bie^'t\. Vua ca^'m anh ta tie^'t lo^. ddie^`u na`y, ne^'u kho^ng se~ bi. che'm dda^`u\. Vi` muo^'n giu+~ ca'i dda^`u tre^n co^?, anh ta kho^ng da'm no'i le^n su+. tha^.t, trong lu'c da^n chu'ng he^'t lo+`i ca tu.ng Vua ta`i ddu+'c, die^.n ma.o ve.n toa`n\. Ngu+o+`i tho+. ho+'t to'c a^'m u+'c trong lo`ng: O^ng Vua Tai Lu+`a la`m sao dung ma.o ve.n toa`n ddu+o+.c! Su+. tha^.t kho^ng the^? no'i khie^'n anh ta kho^ng co`n chi.u ddu+.ng the^m nu+~a\. Mo^.t nga`y kia, anh vo^ ru+`ng, dda`o mo^.t ho^' sa^u, ro^`i ghe' vo^ mie^.ng ho^', la le^n: 

- O^ng Vua Tai Lu+`a! O^ng Vua Tai Lu+`a! 

Tie^'ng la cu?a anh vang xa kha('p nu'i ru+~ng, do^.i la.i nhu+ su+. tha^.t dda~ ddu+o+.c pho+i ba`y.\.. 

Cho dde^'n khi va`o vu`ng quo^'c gia khoa?ng na(m 1950, to^i mo+'i ddu+o+.c tu+. do ca^`m bu't\. Va` pha?i sau tha'ng 7.1954, to^i vo^ Mie^`n Nam Tu+. Do, mo+'i vie^'t ddu+o+.c nhu+~ng su+. tha^.t ma` to^i dda~ tu+`ng chu+'ng kie^'n\. 

Trong suo^'t 21 na(m, so^'ng qua 2 ne^`n Co^.ng Ho`a thi.nh vu+o+.ng cu?a Mie^`n Nam VN, to^i vie^'t sa'ch, ba'o dde^? dde^` cao ti`nh ngu+o+`i, dde^` cao cuo^.c so^'ng tu+. do, da^n chu?, cho^'ng la.i nhu+~ng ddie^`u ma` to^i cho la` pha?n la.i tu+. do, da^n chu?, nha^n quye^`n!

To^i phu.c vu. trong Qua^n Lu+.c Vie^.t Nam Co^.ng Ho`a, i't nhie^`u cu~ng tham du+. ca'c cuo^.c ha`nh qua^n, tha^'y ta^.n ma('t nhu+~ng che^'t cho'c, hoang ta`n ddo^? na't do chie^'n tranh ga^y ra. To^i ghi la.i trung thu+.c, no^~i ddau thu+o+ng, ma^'t ma't cu?a ngu+o+`i da^n, ve^` tinh tha^`n va` va^.t cha^'t, trong chie^'n tranh\. 

To^i dda~ ga(.p ngu+o+`i da^n ca'c ddi.a phu+o+ng co' giao tranh, pha^`n nhie^`u ddo^? xo^ ve^` ca'c vu`ng do Chi'nh Phu? VN Co^.ng Ho`a kie^?m soa't\. Nho+` va^.y ma` to^i bie^'t ddu+o+.c trong ca'c vu`ng Co^.ng Sa?n chie^'m cu+', con ngu+o+`i bi. dda^`y ddo.a; nhu+~ng co+ so+? to^n gia'o bi. ta`n pha', tra'i vo+'i quye^`n con ngu+o+`i ddu+o+.c so^'ng vo+'i ca'c quye^`n tu+. do, da^n chu?, nha^n quye^`n, nhu+ dda~ ddu+o+.c long tro.ng ghi trong ba?n Tuye^n Ngo^n Quo^'c Te^' Nha^n Quye^`n\. 

Ta^'t ca? ca'c sa'ch cu?a to^i, sau tha'ng 4\. na(m 1975 dde^`u bi. ti.ch tha^u va` ca^'m lu+u ha`nh, vi` chi'nh quye^`n mo+'i cho ddo' la` loa.i sa'ch “pha?n ddo^~ng”, nhu+~ng ta`n du+ cu?a che^' ddo^. “Thu+.c Da^n Mo+'i My” (!)o~\. Va`, nhu+ pha^`n ddo^ng ca'c ba.n ddo^`ng ngu~, to^i la` tu` nha^n chi'nh tri., bi. nho^'t trong ca'c tra.i Ta^.p Trung Ca?i Ta.o kha('p ba mie^`n Nam, Trung, Ba('c VN\. Sau ga^`n 13 na(m tu` CS, dde^'n tha'ng 2 na(m 1988 to^i mo+'i ddu+o+.c tha va` dde^'n na(m 1992, to^i ddu+o+.c chi'nh phu? Hoa Ky` cho phe'p ddi.nh cu+ tre^n dda^'t nu+o+'c Tu+. Do tuye^.t vo+`i na`y\. 

Vi` Me. ruo^.t va` vo+. to^i dda~ ma^'t trong tho+`i gian to^i o+? tu` CS, ne^n to^i va` 2 con ga'i dde^'n Hoa Ky` nga`y 12 tha'ng 6 na(m 1992\. Ho+n nu+?a tha'ng sau, nga`y 5 tha'ng 7,  to^i ddu+o+.c tham du+. cuo^.c ha`nh hu+o+ng cu?a 12 sa('c da^n ta.i Nu'i DDu+'c Me. Sa^`u Bi, tha`nh pho^' Portland, Oregon, nha^n ky? nie^.m 500 na(m cha^u My~ ddu+o+.c truye^`n gia'o (1492-1992)\. Ngay buo^?i chie^`u ho^m ddo', to^i vie^'t 1 ba`i tho+ co' tu+.a dde^` la` Me. Sa^`u Bi\. DDa^y la` sa'ng ta'c mo+? dda^`u cho nhu+~ng ba`i vie^'t cu?a to^i ga^`n 7 na(m nay. Xin ke`m theo dda^y, nhu+ lo+`i cha`o mu+`ng cu?a to^i dde^'n qui' vi.:

Me. Sa^`u Bi
Hoa`ng Ngo.c Lie^n
Tha^n ta(.ng Nha^'t Tua^'n

Con vie^'t  nhu+~ng do`ng tho+ dda^`u tie^n
Sau mu+o+`i ba?y na(m ga'c bu't
Sau mu+o+`i ba na(m tu` ngu.c
Mo+'i dda(.t cha^n le^n Mie^`n DDa^'t Tu+. Do na`y.

La.y Me. Tu+` Bi, Nha^n Thay, Khoan Thay,
Xin ddo'n nha^.n nhu+~ng ddu+'a con lu+u la.c\.
Mu+o+`i hai Co^.ng DDo^`ng go^`m nhie^`u ma`u sa('c,
Ky? nie^.m na(m tra(m na(m truye^`n gia'o My~ Cha^u.

DDem Tin La`nh cho kha('p DDi.a Ca^`u,
O^i nha^n loa.i trong vo`ng tay Cu+'u The^'\.
Ba?y su+. buo^`n, vui, ddo^`ng co^ng cu?a Me.,
Cho chu'ng con dda^`y o+n phu'c chan ho`a!

Ba?y Mu+o+i La(m Na(m Lo+`i Pha'n Da.y Fatima:
- "Nu+o+'c Nga Tro+? La.i" - Co`n Vie^.t Nam DDo', Me.!

DDa^'t nu+o+'c chu'ng con be^n kia bo+` dda.i du+o+ng ma'u le^.,
Co`n ddau thu+o+ng, tang to'c, la^`m than\.
Co`n ha^.n thu`, nga`n va.n no^~i gian nan,
Co`n cuo^.c so^'ng chu+a dda'ng la` cuo^.c so^'ng!

Ga^`n hai mu+o+i na(m nu'i nghie^ng, bie^?n ddo^.ng,
Gia' na`o pha?i tra?, bie^'t dde^'n bao gio+`\?
Da^n nu+o+'c con lu~ lu+o+.t ti`m Tu+. Do,
Co`n chia re~ na(m be` ba?y mo^'i,
Co`n tranh lua^.n chuye^.n nga`y xu+a co^ng, to^.i,
Chu+a ddo^`ng lo`ng chung bu+o+'c mo^.t ddu+o+`ng ddi!

Thi` ho^m nay cu'i la.y Me. Tu+` Bi
Xin ddo+~ la^'y ba`n tay co^ng tha(?ng Chu'a!
Ba`n tay a^'y khi xa'c Ngu+o+`i ro+`i Tha'nh Gia',
Me. dda~ ddau lo`ng dda~ ddau lo`ng ca^`m la^'y thay chu'ng con\.

La.y Me. Tu+` Bi! Xin Me. ban o+n
Xin chuye^?n gia`ng pha.t tha`nh nguo^`n tha thu+'\.
DDe^? chu'ng con ca^`u mong co`n co' nga`y ddoa`n tu.
Du+o+'i ma'i nha` Vie^.t Nam va` cuo^.c so^'ng Con Ngu+o+`i
Co' Tu+. Do, ddu+o+.c no'i, ddu+o+.c cu+o+`i,
DDu+o+.c ghe't, ddu+o+.c ye^u, so^'ng cho ra so^'ng!

DDa^'t nu+o+'c chu'ng con nu'i da`i, so^ng ro^.ng,
Bie^?n ba.c, non va`ng, kho^ng the^? ma~i cu'i dda^`u!
Pha?i sa'nh vai cu`ng be` ba.n na(m cha^u,
The^' he^. Nga`y Mai no+? ma`y, no+? ma(.t!

La.y Me. Vie^.t Nam, Me. Tu+` Bi La^n Tua^'t!
Co^.ng ddo^`ng Ha`nh hu+o+ng xin da^ng Me. lo+`i ca:
- "Ave Maria Gratia Plena..."
Xin cu+'u la^'y Vie^.t Nam, xin Me.\. 

Porland, OR July 5th\. 1992
    
Mother Of Misery
by Lien Ngoc Hoang
to Nhat Tuan

This is the first time I write,
After seventeen years of no writing even on line,
After thirteen years of miserable prison time,
After I set foot on this Free Land for just a short while.

Oh! Mother of Mercy! Mother of Clemency!
Would you accept your children in exile, please!
And people of different colors from twelve communities
On this day, America's Five Hundredth Preaching Anniversary.

Good news for the World in its entirety!
Humankind in the arms of the Savior!
In memory of your joys and sorrows, Oh Corredemptrix Mother!
We think of you, for you have your blessing, aplenty.

Seventy five years ago, you predicted at Fatima:
-' Old Russia will be converted!'\. It has been realized so far
How about Vietnam\? Oh! Holy Mother! The country of mine?
It is full of blood and tears on the Pacific's other side
Full of agony, mourning, and miseries,
Full of hatred, revenge, and difficulties
The life of our people  cannot be called human life!

The last twenty years we have been tremendously suffering,
What is the price to pay? And when could we be paying\?
Our people, by the thousand, have fled the country to be free
We're still divided by contradicting doctrines as you can see.
When and how could we be united under only 
one policy

For the salvation of our beloved country?
I kowtow in front of you,Oh! Mother of Mercy!
To ask you to hold the Savior's hand
After His Body was detached from cruxifixion\.
You suffer when doing this, but we need it for redemption\.

I pray for your blessings, Oh! Mother of Misery!
Could you, please! Change punishment to clemency.
So we could be reunited in future time
Under Vietnam's roof, and living a decent human life.

Our country with lofty mountains and large rivers
And the earth and sea, plenty of gold and silver
Should be progressing, side by side with other countries
So the next generations could enjoy success and glory.

Oh! Vietnam's Mother! Mother of Pardon and of Mercy!
We chant in chorus, we, the pilgrimage community:
- Ave Maria Gratia Plena!
Please save Vietnam! Oh! Mother of Fatima!

Hoai Van Tu
Poetic English version 
of the poem ME SAU BI 
by Lien Ngoc Hoang

Co' ngu+o+`i ho?i to^i, dda.i y': ta.i sao ba^y gio+` VN ddo^.c la^.p, tho^'ng nha^'t ro^`i ma` to^i co`n cho^'ng Co^.ng\? To^i dda~ tra? lo+`i: -" To^i cho^'ng Co^.ng kho^ng co' nghi~a la` to^i cho^'ng ddo^.c la^.p, tho^'ng nha^'t, cho^'ng con ngu+o+`i\. To^i cho^'ng Co^.ng vi` che^' ddo^. Co^.ng Sa?n ddi ngu+o+.c quye^`n thie^ng lie^ng cu?a con ngu+o+`i ddu+o+.c so^'ng trong tu+. do, da^n chu? va` nha^n quye^`n, trong ddo' co' tu+. do to^n gia'o\. 

To^i vie^'t dde^? cho^'ng nhu+~ng vi pha.m quye^`n so^'ng, quye^`n tu+. do ca(n ba?n cu?a con ngu+o+`i do che^' ddo^. Co^.ng Sa?n thu+.c hie^.n\. To^i xin ne^u mo^.t va`i vi' du.: 

Khoa?ng giu+~a na(m 1976, mo^.t o^ng va` gia ddi`nh ngu+o+`i VN\. tu+` mie^`n ddo^ng ba('c Tha'i Lan ddu+o+.c di chuye^?n ba(`ng ta`u thu?y ho^`i hu+o+ng, theo lo+`i khuye^n ve^` que^ hu+o+ng xa^y du+.ng dda^'t nu+o+'c vi` VN dda~ co' ho`a bi`nh, ddo^.c la^.p va` tho^'ng nha^'t\. O^ng dda~ ho?i ddi ho?i la.i ca'n bo^. la` co' cha('c cha('n gia ddi`nh o^ng ddu+o+.c ve^` la.i que^ cu~, la`ng Ngo.c DDo^`ng, ti?nh Hu+ng Ye^n (Ba('c VN) hay kho^ng, thi` ddu+o+.c ddoan cha('c gia ddi`nh o^ng se~ ddu+o+.c tro+? la.i que^ cu~\. 

Mo^.t chuye^'n ta`u cho+? nhie^`u gia ddi`nh - trong ddo' co' gia ddi`nh o^ng, ca^.p be^'n Vu~ng Ta`u (Nam VN) ro^`i ddi Ha?i Pho`ng (Ba('c VN), chuye^?n le^n xe lu+?a cha.y tre^n ddu+o+`ng Ha?i Pho`ng - Ha` No^.i\. Nhu+ng ta`u kho^ng ngu+ng la.i ga Hu+ng Ye^n, nhu+ lo+`i ca'n bo^. hu+'a, ma` cha.y ra ta^.n Ye^n Ba'y! O^ng ba` ngo+ nga'c nhi`n ca?nh la. ngoa`i khung cu+?a so^? ta`u\. Ca'n bo^. ma^'t\... ti'ch, kho^ng co`n ai dde^? ho?i cho ra le~\. Ngu+o+`i ta hu+o+'ng da^~n gia ddi`nh o^ng ba` xuo^'ng pha`, qua be^n kia so^ng Ho^`ng ro^`i le^n xe ha`ng\... dde^'n ven mo^.t khu ru+`ng thuo^.c la`ng Mu+o+`ng Co+i na`y\. Bao nhie^u ta`i sa?n do co^ng lao da`nh du.m cu?a o^ng ba` va` con cha'u tu+` ma^'y chu.c na(m qua, kho^ng co`n tha^'y ve^'t ti'ch gi` nu+~a\. Ra^'t nhie^`u gia ddi`nh kha'c cu~ng bi. tu+o+'c ddoa.t ta`i sa?n, dda`y ddi xa, ca'ch bie^.t vo+'i the^' gio+'i be^n ngoa`i, nhu+ gia ddi`nh o^ng!" 

To^i dda~ chu+'ng kie^'n nhu+~ng lo+'p ho.c ma` tre? em ma(.c qua^`n a'o ra'ch ta? to+i, trong lu'c tro+`i la.nh\. Ca? co^ gia'o va` ho.c sinh dde^`u dde^? cha^n tra^`n\. Lo+'p ho.c la` ca'i cho`i tro^'ng, kho^ng co' ba^'t cu+' mo^.t tie^.n nghi to^'i thie^?u na`o, ke^? ca? sa^n cho+i\. Ra?i ra'c pha^n tra^u bo` ngay ca.nh cho`\. (Lo+'p ho.c na`y o+? la`ng Mu+o+`ng Tha?i, huye^.n Phu` Ye^n, ti?nh So+n La, Ba('c VN) 

Khung ca?nh na`y kho^ng ddu'ng vo+'i chu? tru+o+ng: " Ta^'t ca? vi` tu+o+ng lai con em cu?a chu'ng ta" ma` ca'c loa tuye^n truye^`n cu?a CS ra ra? to^'i nga`y!

- Ta.i Tra.i Giam Z30D, thuo^.c huye^.n Ha`m Ta^n, ti?nh Thua^.n Ha?i (Mie^`n Nam VN), to^i dda~ tha^'y mo^.t be' ga'i 10 tuo^?i, ddu+o+.c sinh ra trong tra.i giam, ne^n o+? tu` chung vo+'i me. em\. Me. cu?a be' bi. a'n ta^.p trung kho^ng tho+`i ha.n, ve^` to^.i kho^ng chi.u ddi vu`ng kinh te^' mo+'i! Be' ddo'i, ra'ch, mu` chu+~, ghe? lo+?, so^'ng le^ le^'t tre^n thu+?a ruo^.ng, no+i Me. be' ddang ca^'y lu'a cho tra.i giam! Be' kho^ng bie^'t mo^.t chu't gi` be^n ngoa`i tra.i giam! 

Su+. kie^.n tre^n dda^y kho^ng ddu'ng vo+'i chu? tru+o+ng ba?o ve^. ba` Me. va` Tre? Em va^~n ddu+o+.c no'i tre^n cu?a mie^.ng cu?a “ca'n bo^.” Co^.ng Sa?n\. 

To^i tie^'p tu.c ca^`m bu't, hy vo.ng ddu+o+.c ca'c ba.n tre? hu+o+?ng u+'ng\. To^i nghi~ ra(`ng la^u nay, nha^'t la` tu+` na(m 2000, tuo^?i tre? VN la` ky` vo.ng cu?a da^n to^.c VN, trong chie^`u hu+o+'ng go'p pha^`n xa^y du+.ng dda^'t nu+o+'c chu'ng to^i, mo^.t dda^'t nu+o+'c bi. chie^'n tranh ta`n pha', sau 24 na(m ho`a bi`nh, tho^'ng nha^'t, va^~n co`n nghe`o na`n, la.c ha^.u ma` da^n chu'ng ha^`u nhu+ xa la. vo+'i nhu+~ng quye^`n Tu+ Do ca(n ba?n cu?a con ngu+o+`i\. To^i, va` nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i nhu+ to^i, tin tu+o+?ng va`o the^' he^. tre?, u?ng ho^. ca'c ba.n tre? ca^`m bu't, vo+'i va(n phong mo+'i me? ho+n, su'c ti'ch ho+n\. Co' nhu+~ng ddie^`u muo^'n no'i, to^i dda~ kho^ng no'i he^'t ddu+o+.c, nhu+ng to^i hy vo.ng dda~ gu+?i to+'i quy' vi., u+o+'c vo.ng trong tu+o+ng lai ga^`n, ca'c da^n to^.c tre^n toa`n the^' gio+'i se~ so^'ng trong tu+. do, da^n chu?, ho`a bi`nh, hie^?u bie^'t va` thi.nh vu+o+.ng\. 

Tra^n tro.ng ki'nh cha`o quy' vi. vo+'i lo`ng bie^'t o+n cha^n tha`nh cu?a to^i\. 
Ki'nh chu'c Ho^.i Lua^.n tha`nh co^ng\. Quy' vi. se~ ra ve^` ba(`ng an, ma.nh kho?e va` ha.nh phu'c\. 

Hoa`ng Ngo.c Lie^n