THE PLANET’S FESTIVAL
(To football lovers on the occasion of World Cup 2026)
This summer, the festival of the planet
The rolling ball gets billions of People thrilled
The dance of five Continents, blazing on the green grass
Colors of flags – shades of shirts, and National Anthems
The round ball rolls right in our hearts
If only there were no guns and bombs, if only there were no chaos
We wish the Planet would forever be a summer of companionship
So that the roof of philanthropy covers all horizons!
지구의 축제
(2026 월드컵을 맞아 축구 애호가들에게)
올여름, 지구의 축제
굴러가는 공 하나가 수십억 인류의 심장을 흔든다
푸른 잔디 위에서 타오르는 오대륙의 춤사위
깃발의 색채들 — 유니폼의 빛깔들, 그리고 국가의 찬가들
둥근 공은 우리 마음속으로 굴러 들어온다
총과 폭탄이 사라지기를, 혼돈이 멈추기를
지구가 영원히 우정의 여름이 되기를 소망한다
그래서 박애의 지붕이 모든 지평을 덮을 수 있기를!
Korean translation: Kang Byeong-Cheol
Vietnamese poet Lai Hong Khanh
Vietnamese poet Lai Hong Khanh was born in 1950 in Phu Xuyen, Hanoi, Vietnam. A distinguished literary figure, he is a member of the Vietnam Writers Association, the Vietnam Journalists Association, and the Vietnam Lawyers Association. Throughout his long and productive career, he has made significant contributions to Vietnamese literature through poetry, prose, and literary criticism.
His published works include The White Ferry-Call (Poetry, Youth Publisher, 1990), Writing Through the Forest (Literature, Labor Publisher, 2002), Summer Heart (Poetry, Literature Publisher, 2003), Kinh Bac Moon (Poetry, Writers Association Publisher, 2007), Time Fully Loaded (Poetry, Literature Publisher, 2014), Vietnamese Spirit (Poetry, Youth Publisher, 2020), and Every Morning (Poetry, Youth Publisher, 2021). These collections reflect his deep engagement with Vietnamese culture, history, nature, and the human spirit.
In recognition of his literary achievements, Lai Hong Khanh received the Silver Prize in the “Mother of Pearl” Literary Script Contest at the National Television Festival in 2002. His works continue to be appreciated for their lyrical beauty, cultural depth, and thoughtful reflection on contemporary Vietnamese life.
