better shoot yourself by summer

Summer used to be colors to me
Bathing under sunlight in poor country
Grandma told me not to sing at night
Woke her up just to hear my lines

Ran away from Hanoi’s winter
Hoped Saigon’s lights would help me survive
Waking up at 3 A.M. to sing at night
Grandma’s gone, no one hears my lines

Better shoot yourself by summer
If you still take this dream for granted
Better shoot yourself by summer
If you still play games with the canvas

Grandma, if you still hear me
I want you to stay near me
Want you proud of the woman I’ve been
I never traded my dignity

Look in my eyes — can’t you see?
I gotta make it before sunrise
I must finish one more line
One more line and I’ll be fine

Better shoot yourself by summer
If you still take this dream for granted
Better shoot yourself by summer
If you still joking with the artist’s canvas

Grandma stays with me

To see my name in the sky so high

Under the skylight

Can you see me fly?

Under the skylight