May Colors in the Red City

(Baonghean) -By the beginning of May, after a few storms or monsoons, the passionate summer has arrived. Just yesterday, the rows of banyan trees were still blooming, the April sunshine was still heart-wrenchingly green, but in just a moment, the entire space and time seemed to suddenly become vibrant...

Royal poinciana flowers have only been on Vinh Street for about 2 years - Photo: Nguyen Sach

May, as always, brings surprises and amazement. It awakens the romantic, passionate, weak or strong person in you with the joy of the colors of nature. At this time, the trees on Vinh Street are in full bloom: red phoenix flowers, purple lagerstroemia, yellow butterfly flowers...

This year, there are more roads full of royal poinciana flowers. A group of friends stopped at a red light on Nguyen Duc Canh Street and suddenly exclaimed when they saw a royal poinciana tree at the intersection with Le Hong Phong Street: Royal poinciana flowers are so beautiful, this year's graduation photos definitely have royal poinciana flowers!

Royal poinciana flowers bloom on the streets of Vinh city - Photo by Thanh Quynh

The gate of Hoa Sen Kindergarten on Le Hong Phong Street has two royal poinciana trees. The two trees spread their branches and leaves, stretching their flowers to each other, creating an incredibly beautiful archway. Fathers and mothers, busy picking up their children, still do not forget to look up at the archway. Surely, some people are moved when they suddenly realize that their youth has passed by. It seems like only yesterday, the day before yesterday, we said goodbye to our friends in the schoolyard covered in red flowers, but now we have become fathers and mothers. The rashness and anger of the past have given way to so much calmness and maturity.

On Nguyen Van Cu Street, the Royal Poinciana tree in front of house number 57 is probably the tallest and most blooming Royal Poinciana tree on the block. Ms. Xuan, who has been living on this street for many years, has chosen to quietly live with the flower seasons, after experiencing many storms in life. She chose a small corner, starting with a job that she never thought of when she was in college, to wholeheartedly follow the husband she loved with all her heart, despite his many mistakes. She believes that love will resolve pain and separation. She believes that her love can help him stand up and rebuild his life...

In the exciting rhythm of cicadas, of birds chirping, of blue sky, red phoenix flowers and sunshine, the purple jacaranda chooses purple to harmonize. The purple jacaranda trees of Vinh street are mostly "young" trees. The "oldest" is probably only over 10 years old. There are streets like Tran Huy Lieu, the rows of purple jacaranda are only a few years old. However, the color of the flowers that these trees dedicate to life is still immeasurably passionate. There are times when life is too full of worries, feeling tired, looking at the young purple jacaranda trees, still very small standing on the street, still blooming with all their might, I feel like I am calm again.

Golden shower tree flowers are bright yellow on the streets of Vinh - Photo: Nguyen Sach

And the flowers on Vinh Street, not only have Royal Poinciana, Lagerstroemia, but also have Yellow Butterfly Blossoms and Yellow Canaries. Yellow Butterfly Blossoms seem to be too familiar, but Royal Poinciana or Royal Poinciana has only been on the street for about 2 years now. On To Ngoc Van Street, or right at Ho Chi Minh Square, many people passing by have stopped to admire the color of Royal Poinciana flowers. Many people do not know the name of the flower. Many people walking in the square every afternoon choose to sit under the Royal Poinciana tree, both to rest and to admire the flowers. Royal Poinciana trees are also planted in the grounds of the Provincial General Hospital. They surprise both doctors and patients. There are moments when they forget their illness, forget the hustle and bustle, forget the cold white color of the hospital room when they suddenly look through the window and catch sight of the color of the flowers... Who says that nature does not know how to soothe, comfort, and console?

The most special thing about Vinh Street this May is not just the flowers. I want to talk about those “orchards in the city”. Just last month, the mangoes were blooming, this month they are laden with fruit. Mangoes can be seen on every street corner. Some trees have ripe yellow fruit, scattered on the path.

Rows of mango trees laden with fruit

Walking through the streets, thinking about "Garden in the City" by Luu Quang Vu, mumbling the purple ink poem written in the notebook: "...Where the canopy of leaves rustles in the rain/ Sweet fruit ripens when the cicada season comes again/ Pink horizons, purple horizons/ The stars shimmer in the sunset"

Why do I suddenly remember verses from 20 years ago? Is it because of May, is it because summer “cannot be hidden”, is it because I have always found strange surprises in this Vinh street that is so familiar and loved?

Thuy Vinh