Having survived the war against American aggression, the land and people of Ham Rong shine even brighter with their heroic and indomitable traditions, becoming a distinctive cultural symbol of the region, enriching the national identity. In our country, few bridges have been immortalized in poetry as much as the Ham Rong Bridge: "Oh, Ma River, both banks embrace the shadows of the mountains, Ngoc Mountain, Rong Mountain, verdant green against the clouds" (The Bridge on the Ma River) by musician Le Xuan Tho. Within the scope of this article, I would like to discuss the poem "The Bridge of Victory" by author Minh To.
Ham Rong Bridge over the Ma River. Photo: PV
On April 3rd and 4th, 1965, Ham Rong entered the glorious history of the nation. The Ma River and Ham Rong are associated with countless miraculous stories and legends. The soldiers and people of Ham Rong shot down many aircraft known as "thunderbolts," "ghosts," and "enemies from the sky." The American invaders wanted us to "return to the Stone Age," and they chose Ham Rong as an "ideal choke point," but their ambitions were buried beneath the Ma River.
Reading the poem "The Bridge of Victory" again allows each of us to relive the dignified spirit of our army and people during a heroic period in the history of our homeland. The image of Thanh Hoa province emerges as both simple and authentic, yet also like a majestic and soaring melody.
He begins the poem by writing: “The bridge / Connecting the North and South / Steadfast and unwavering / War, a milestone in time / Fierce bombs and bullets / Ma River - Ham Rong / Not the Truong Son Mountains / A series of rolling hills / Only a river wholeheartedly flowing to the sea.”
The poem "The Bridge of Victory" is characterized by its concise language and subtle ideas, merely suggesting rather than passionately expressing them like many of his earlier works. This exploration of poetic values is evident and has yielded some success.
Perhaps, Ham Rong Bridge beautifies the poetic soul and enriches the spiritual life of poets and writers. And the miraculous vitality of this immortal bridge captivates all of humanity; having endured countless bombs and bullets, Ham Rong Bridge still stands there, peacefully reflecting its image in the clear blue Ma River, enhancing the thousand-year-old grandeur of Dragon Mountain, Ma River, and the verses that continue to resonate with pride: “Only the river wholeheartedly flows to the sea / And the troops / Heading straight south / The marching song of the Fatherland in their hearts.”
Poetry is the art of using language and rhythm to express emotions. Returning to the opening lines, I sense that, in the midst of sudden grief, unconscious verses have emerged: “The bridge / connecting the North and South / steadfast and unwavering / through fierce bombs and bullets / The Ma River and Ham Rong River / are not the Truong Son Mountains / with their endless hills / only the river wholeheartedly flowing to the sea / and the troops / marching south / the marching song of the Fatherland in their hearts.”
With his simple and unadorned style of writing and use of language, his poetry becomes accessible and easily resonates with the feelings and anxieties of readers. This creative process is crucial in poetry. A poem only truly comes to life and fulfills its literary function when it is accompanied, understood, and co-created by the reader.
Ham Rong – what a source of pride that place is! It's not that the poet intentionally tries to evoke strong emotions, but simply, I believe that when writing these lines, the poet's eyes were silently blurred with tears. Once genuine emotions blossom from the poet's heart, it's not surprising that they spread and touch so many hearts. The rhythm of the poem is abrupt, choked, with two words, three words, and then interrupted... Following are evocative lines: "Only the river wholeheartedly flows to the sea / And the troops / Heading straight south / The marching song of the Fatherland in their hearts."
Through its richly narrative style, the words are serious and responsible, like a soldier going into battle. While narrative, it doesn't lack imagination or lyricism; rather, it possesses a rich theme and substance for the reader to contemplate. The tone is majestic and passionate. Throughout the work runs the aspiration for peace and the sacred responsibility of youth before the destiny of the nation, which helped people overcome all obstacles and achieve victory.
Reading his poetry, one is easily captivated by his style of expression, his way of constructing ideas, his repetition of concepts and sentences. With a free-spirited yet powerful demeanor, Minh To created a poetic style with many unique aspects in emotion, language, and tone. Many people have commented that his poetry contains a mature poetic soul, a rich vocabulary, and a multifaceted world of imagery...
The sacrifices and losses of war are irreplaceable and unforgettable, but the revival of life in peacetime is irresistible. Soldiers returning from the battlefield carry with them aspirations for happiness: “My homeland, your homeland / Places that have become legends / So many young men and women transformed / A peaceful country.” He knows how to draw on emotion. From emotion, the verses transform unpredictably, the way of speaking becomes fresh, creating unexpected effects: “Spring rushes in, erasing the war / You and I join hands to rebuild.” Through the work “The Bridge of Victory,” the author explains the movement, the transformations and changes in his homeland of Ham Rong, the land of fire, to move towards something new in his creative journey. This is not just an empty wish, but the author expresses it through concrete action: “Spring rushes in, erasing the war / You and I join hands to rebuild / Green shoots spring up, bringing forth a peaceful life.”
This is an independent poem, its words serious and responsible, like a soldier going into battle. Whether in peacetime or wartime, his poem becomes even more meaningful and responsible to life. And that is also a careful preparation for the poem's conclusion: "Returning here, deeply meaningful and full of affection / The fertile alluvial soil of the poetic river / The image of mountains and bridges standing tall and majestic / Heroic achievements / Forever preserved with time."
Reading his poems, we sense a pervasive love for our roots. For in the author's mind, Ham Rong Bridge is not just a scenic spot in Thanh Hoa province, but also a symbol of victory. “My homeland, your homeland / Places that have become legendary / So many young men and women transformed / A peaceful country / Spring arrives, erasing the wounds of war / You and I join hands to build / Green shoots sprout, bringing forth a peaceful life.”
As the years pass, Ham Rong Bridge still stands tall and majestic, carved into the mountainside as a shining symbol of the patriotism and revolutionary spirit of the Vietnamese people. The land of Ham Rong, once ravaged by war and suffering, where the value of every moment of peace was bought with great loss, is transforming day by day. At the end of the poem, we seem to hear the Ma River whispering memories of an ancient land, where every inch of land is an inch of history interwoven and harmonized, blending ancient and modern, shining with sorrow and aspiration: “Returning here, deeply meaningful and full of affection / The fertile alluvial soil of the poetic river / The image of the mountains and bridge standing proudly / Heroic achievements / Forever preserved with time.”
Ham Rong, a place that has gone down in history as one of the most glorious pages in the nation's resistance against foreign invaders. The imprint of Ham Rong in literature not only preserves the image of a distinctive cultural and historical symbol of the region, but also a heroic memory of the country and the people of Ham Rong in Thanh Hoa province in particular, and the Vietnamese nation in general. To this day, Ham Rong stands proudly alongside the long history of the nation as an immortal symbol.
It is said that childhood and its memories have a profound influence on a person's soul and purpose in life. This is even truer in literary and artistic creation. It deeply and powerfully influences the emotional world and aesthetic imagery of the artist. This is especially true when reading the poetry of poet Minh Tố.
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