My Irrawaddy

Lovechild of May-kha and Mali-kha
Bride of the histories
She is…
My Irrawaddy

North to South
From the beginning till the end
We own as whole
In Myanmar
She is…
My Irrawaddy

From the silvery snowy Himalayas
Through the ravines and across the mountains
To the plains she comes
Queen of the rivers
She is…
My Irrawaddy

Gently now she streams around Legendary Bagan
(For) Kings may come and Dynasties may go
But she...
With unswerving intentions
Is always true to her people
She is…
My Irrawaddy

“Crack” – There goes the rice pot of the Delta
Broken in pieces.
Men they come and they go
Trash may ride along her waves
Becoming the Delta we grow nowadays but…
She is…  (Still)
My Irrawaddy

Gold panning
Mercury rising
Fish dying
Human suffering-
What’s left?

Whatever it takes
She will go on forever;
Flow on forever
Where will the sun set one day?
Somewhere by the river bend...
She is…
My Irrawaddy

Somewhere anywhere
Let us meet by the next river bend
Just you and me...
My Irrawaddy

-Addy Chen