He Left

She stands in front of the empty coffin, under the 35-star bleeding flag. Walt Whitman’s melody murmurs into her ear, “Oh Captain! Oh Captain! You’re fallen cold and dead.” She continues Walt Whitman’s words, “So long! Never More! The end is the beginning of the new journey.” Finally, I visit you, Mr. Lincoln.  A Vietnamese woman loves the United States more than her own motherland, Vietnam. She admires Abraham Lincoln, whom she chooses as her spiritual man, who understands her wishes, her ambitions and her desires. She believes in supernatural power and the connection between the present world and the afterworld.  He who keeps her secret wishes and grants her dream because he states,

“That every man may receive at least, a moderate education, and thereby be enabled to read the histories of his own and other countries, by which he may duly appreciate the value of our free institutions, appears to be an object of vital importance, even on this account alone, to say nothing of the advantages and satisfaction to be derived from all being able to read the scriptures and other works, both of a religious and moral nature, for themselves.”

--Abraham Lincoln’s first political Announcement;
  New Salem, Illinois; March 9, 1832

 Her inner voice communicates with his spirit: “Every day, many U.S. residents and foreigners visit you and learn about you, but not many ethnic women come from the third-world countries to understand the history of the United States and engage with your words like me, dear Abe.”
She reluctantly lifts her lazy feet to turn in any direction. All at once, her eyes flash as if a battery is recharged when she catches Abraham Lincoln’s blue eyes. She looks up, raises her eyebrows up, and tries to reach Abraham Lincoln’s sight. Her lips are moving; she mumbles, “muh…muh…” However, she feels the curious scrutiny of the visitors; she is embarrassed; she immediately walks away down the hall.

 --Anhthao Bui, 

   June 27, 2013