Photo collected on the internet. Author is unknown.

RAIN ON THE PRISON'S ROOF

I heard that rain is beautiful in California?
Light shower in the spring sunshine,
The vineyards are so green ...
Do you remember the old rainy days of Vietnam?
The old Saigon rain, we shared the raincoat.
Hugging each other, walking through narrow streets of wet tamarind trees.
The steaming sweetsoup bowl warmed our hands.
I hoped the rain would not stop, so you would not go home.
The old Saigon rain, we shared the raincoat.
You were listening to the music, I was sensing the good smell from your hair.
It was just a light shower to cool off the night.
You. The rain. The music. How nice life was.
My dear, now it is the sad rain on the prison's roof.
It is downpouring, but the cell is still stuffy with body heat.
I wish it rained on my body.
Thinking of the old rainy days, I want to cry ...

Hoang Hai Ho
Cantho prison, 1981