“Traces of Previous Lives” is a compilation of the Supreme Master Ching Hai’s poems written while She was staying in various countries around the world before She went to the Himalayas in search of the Truth. Through Her delicate pen and vivid imagination, Supreme Master Ching Hai depicted all kinds of human emotions as well as the vicissitudes and sorrows caused by wars. Thus, revealed the ephemeral nature of the world and the delusional essence of passions.

There are two parts in “Traces of Previous Lives”. The first part is “Love”, a collection of love poems written in Her early years. These poems describe how the Poet whole-heartedly pursuit a perfect love with no regrets and Her endless longings. Her saintly inner quality is evident in between the lines. Many poems in the second part “War”, on the other hand, reflect Her compassion and mercy towards people and the world in a turbulent time. Seeing the cruelty of the war, witnessing the helplessness and the anxiety of the stricken, the Saint could only transform Her tears into poems.

This touching and magnificent poem-collection “Traces of Previous Lives” covers the Poet’s personal experiences in the war time, Her songs of happiness after climbing the summit of love and Her footprints at various parts of the world. It is hoped that all the readers around the globe will have the chance to appreciate the meaningful and rare verses.

Forget Me Not
(Original version in English)

Do you know, my beloved
Of a dreamy flower called Forget Me Not
Whose Color is a mysterious blue

The Color of Heaven,
Of the Celestial firmament,
The hue of galaxies beyond,
The Color of love

Know or not know,
Forget Me Not

~ from "Traces of Previous Lives"