Untitled
Youthful dreams shattered by my own hands,
contained by shackle and chain.
No longer allowed to be called a man.
No longer free to control my destiny.
No longer able to become who I aspired to be,
a true Vietnamese.
A Mother’s Love
As I stare into my mother’s eyes
and see her love for me,
my eyes get teary, my vision clouds.
I do everything I can
to fight back my tears—
I haven’t cried since I don’t know when,
but seeing the sadness in my mother
as she attempts to smile, just breaks my heart.
I try to reach out and comfort her,
to reassure her I will be okay—
but the glass window between us won’t budge.
So, I just stand staring, feeling hopeless,
with silent tears running down
my face.
To Be Vietnamese
Through years of
harassment,
hardships,
and inhuman existence—
the life of a man entombed alive
I have fought,
survived,
and endured.
My fate,
a fate unknown and unsure,
but I do not worry
nor do I weep.
I hold my head high
striving to survive
to focus on the road to freedom.
A difficult path I shall journey on
but I’m not alone.
I feel the spirits of my ancestors—
my guardians’
strength and courage raging within.
The road to freedom will never be easy,
but till I see that day
I shall not rest,
I shall not falter,
I shall not be defeated.
Move with me,
move aside,
or become dust beneath my feet.
For when I fight,
I conquer.
I am the grandson of
the Dragon and Fairy.
Son Tran was born in Cayuhoga, Ohio in 1980 and grew up
in Houston, Texas. He was convicted of capital murder at the age of 17, tried
as an adult and sentenced to death. He had no prison record prior to his
conviction. Tran sentence has change to 45 years to life in prison. He can
be reached at: Son Tran #999372, Polunsky Unit, 3872 FM 350 South, Livingston,
Texas 77351.
[end]