Words of a Hen (Lời Gà Mái )
Poem written by Supreme Master Ching Hai in her late 20s

To the field I go this morn
Standing tall,
I greet the river and mountain
With my young innocent babes
In the pond we swim and bathe.

Skipping along right behind Mama
Young feathers with newly tinged hues
Round eyes like tiny beans
Oh, my babies, how adorable you are!

For the corn and grains,
we’re grateful to humans
Every day,happy and carefree
Fresh clear water and shady trees
So green the grass in the gentle breeze.

Blue sky, wispy clouds, flowing streams
Life is like a fairy tale
Thank You, Lord Creator
For these days of peace and safety.

Then came an unexpected calamity
A net was suddenly cast upon me
A flash of shiny blade
A scream muffled
in splattering blood!

My babies are left behind
Mama’s heart is torn and shattered!
Please… love… my… children… for… me…
Don’t… kill… them!
My…precious…babies…

Buddha’s Sadness Poem
composed by Supreme Master Ching Hai in her late 20s
Recital by Supreme Master Ching Hai Poetry collection “The Dream of a Butterfly”

I wish to find the celestial granary To scatter over mountains and forests,
So every bird can be warm and nourished
When I see them in cold wintry days
Wings and feathers all in disarray, searching for food morsels!
I wish to share all the meals, nutritious and tasty
With scrawny cats in the wild, wandering and hungry
Living furtively in abandoned shrines
Blistering days and rainy nights, emaciated and wasting away!
I sympathize with the deer and goats on rocky mountains
Roaming all day, not having enough dry leaves
Craggy cliffs lonely as ancient tombs
Where can they find sweet grass and nectar stream!
The heart of the Saint is forever in sorrow
The vow to save the world, will it ever come to fruition?
On bended knee,
I awaken my faith in a Creator
And implore Hirm this planet to restore.