A realm of love

One day, standing watching the river flowing, Confucius was moved and exclaimed:

The oath is like a wish, never leaving the mind.

(It flows like that, day and night without stopping!)

Once answering a student about the changes of heaven and earth, Confucius said:

- The galaxy of words! The four seasons move on!

(The sky doesn't say anything! The four seasons still take turns!)

I suddenly remembered the above words when holding in my hand the new poetry collection of Minh Hong - the poetry collection "Silent Time". Deeply silent, time just keeps passing by, weaving through the history full of social events, through the fate burdened with joys and sorrows of each person. Perhaps it is not by chance that Anh wrote for the world of poetry in that thoughtful work. For a long time, this year Anh has passed the age of eighty, Anh has reached the age of having the opportunity, having enough experience to look back on the past years to reflect, contemplate, to know how to cherish the many moments that have left a deep impression in lyrical memories. For a long time, Anh has reached the age like the Western poet E.Poe: "The sands of time suddenly turn into grains of gold".

Cover of the poetry collection "Silent Time"

From page to page, leisurely walking in the "poetic realm" of "Silent Time", we have the feeling that whether we look near or far, look to the East or turn to the West, we always encounter those sparkling golden grains associated with memories of the places he has been to, of the people he has met and loved.

As a historian, always burning with the desire to deeply understand history, country, and people, Minh Hong left his footprints in many regions of the country. From the border of Lai Chau through Tuyen Quang, Cao Bang, he entered Cua Viet, Quang Tri, down to Chau Doc and then crossed the sea to Phu Quoc, Con Dao... He also went to Hoang Hac Lau to wonder:

"Your Majesty, I've been here for a long time.

Tall buildings towering over the white clouds

Truong Giang Bridge soars across the smoky river

Crane or I lost this place…"

He was excited with:

"Phnom Penh happy liberation day

Black transformation

Flowers of life bloom

The monks put on their meditation robes again.

Bay-on statue

Smile intact

Reviving the country…”

Associate Professor, People's Artist Nguyen Van Hong, author of the poetry collection "Silence of Time"

Reading “Silent Time”, we have the opportunity to enjoy a series of travel poems by a historian with a sensitive and especially delicate soul, no matter where he writes about in the country.

His poems are always full of affection. How deep is the affection when standing between:

“Hang Duong cemetery in the midst of flying sand and dust

Thousands of graves are still here, shining with integrity...

…

History has depth and thickness

Lying in the soil…”

(Will you come back to Con Son with me?)

“We come here to the blue sky and sea

Red flags fluttering, sweet fruits

Thanks to the tree planters who came before

For a happy and peaceful spring…

(The story of Pham Hung, a prisoner in Con Dao)

Affection permeates the verses of "Memories of the Border Region":

The green pine forest up there

The wind rustles before the cold winter

Still colorful among strange mountains

Resilience like a border soldier.

Oh Lai Chau, a legendary region

Every legend is soaked in the blood of our ancestors…

There were times when I was so emotional when "Visiting Le Loi's stele":

“The sacred homeland is a border strip...

…

Oh my heart is trembling, I can't write

The soul of mountains and rivers in heroic poems".

The poet-historian Minh Hong's deep love for his country, in my opinion, is deeply rooted in his love for his Father, his Mother, his Teacher, and many close loved ones:

“How many deep green forests

How many mountains have you passed?

There are many things to advise

Sending children back home…

"I walk in the rain and the sun

Wading through life's hardships

Missing you, I try harder.

"Is Mother happy in the golden spring?"

Remembering the "Eagerness for a Green Time" of school age, Minh Hong remembers with so much warm affection:

“Humans have a time like that

Never lose your youth

I have been going enthusiastically until now

To stand by the Master

On the university lecture hall…”

Even writing about a face "tilted like a lake" that made him "ecstatic", his poetic tone was imbued with deep affection:

“…her face tilted

I don't know anymore.

Just your smile

so pretty

(Pretty side view)

Minh Hong especially loves the color blue, the color blue becomes a lyrical obsession: "Green memories of a green time”, “Flowers and leaves sing - Sunshine! Wind! Blue sky”, “Your eyes are green like the Suzhou sunset”, “Green eyes full of memories”…

“The Realm of Poetry” in “Silence of Time”, as I feel, is a realm of love. Please allow me to add:

A World of Deep Blue Love