Experience autumn with Mai Huu Phuoc

The feeling of autumn in the flow of time has long been addressed by many poets. The essence and sentiment of autumn are depicted with a unique brushstroke in each writer's pen.

Mai Huu Phuoc is no exception. With meticulous observation, calmness, and a relatable approach to his writing, he created "Touching Autumn" (Vietnam Writers Association Publishing House - 2024) in his own unique style: "Touching autumn, the soul is bewildered / Autumn shadows slip through the window / What you hold onto / Autumn eyes sadly longing."

Turning through the 99 poems in the collection "Touching Autumn" at the transitional time when the scorching heat of summer has gradually subsided, readers follow poet Mai Huu Phuoc back to the scents and colors of autumn through four sections titled: "Colors of Life"; "Nostalgia for the Past"; "Traveling Here and There"; and "Fresh Green Memories". Each section is a sense of time, specifically about autumn in its own unique shades.

Autumn is not only a reflection of nature but also of a poet entering his autumnal years, experiencing life's ups and downs, witnessing the vicissitudes of human nature, the changes in all things, and the loss of traditional values ​​amidst the chaos of the present. Nostalgia for past love, longing for loved ones, worries, and an overwhelming loneliness in the face of time and space... all are clearly present in Mai Hữu Phước's gentle and profound verses.

Mai Huu Phuoc is a retired doctor and poet, currently a member of the Executive Committee of the Da Nang Writers Association. He has published six poetry collections and received numerous national literary awards.

From his earlier poetry collections, starting with "Thank You, My Dear" (2003), "A Time of School Days" (2004), "Whispers in the Small Town" (2006), "Interlude of the Changing Seasons" (bilingual poetry, 2012), to "And From Then On" (bilingual poetry, 2019), readers mention Mai Huu Phuoc as the innocent and pure love poems of school days: "Together we play and study / Our eyes exchange countless loving glances" ("Love in School Days").

But in the poetry collection "Touching Autumn," behind the verses about love are moments of startled realization, a poignant reflection on the gains and losses of life: "The chrysanthemum season has turned yellow, far from the phoenix tree's path / A hundred years out of sync on the horizon / Which path leads back and forth in the vast sky / A meeting, hearing a faint sound of falling" ("The Purple Charm of You").

The autumnal feeling in Mai Huu Phuoc's poetry is most concentrated in the five-word poem that gives the entire collection its title, "Touching Autumn." The poem describes hesitant steps upon entering an autumn garden, and the first three stanzas are filled with the poet's heartfelt emotions as he enters autumn: "My heart is like an empty inn / A day without familiar faces / Hesitant autumn spreads / The autumn figure in the evening, like a bird's foot - Golden autumn branches, a path of memories / Is autumn love still golden, my dear? / Autumn in the earth and sky, sweet nectar / Autumn in my heart, peaceful - The footsteps of the previous autumn / Touching the autumn that follows / Time is like a river / Flowing through each other's lives" ("Touching Autumn").

The autumnal imagery, branches, eyes, and emotions are intertwined in every thought and word, and especially the poet's astonished yet profound reaching out to touch autumn before the flowing laws of time leaves a deep impression on the reader's soul: "Time is like a river / Flowing through each other's lives" ...

"Poetry is first and foremost life, then art" (Belinski). Poetry originates from life, therefore it always contains the reflection of life, the image of humanity.

For poet Mai Huu Phuoc, poetry is a means to express all the joys, sorrows, pains, excitement, and passion of a heart that loves wholeheartedly. Harmonizing with the poet's sentiments, we recognize a gentle, profound poetic voice; his preferred forms are five-word and seven-word lines, with a familiar rhythm and tone, although Mai Huu Phuoc still consciously strives for novelty and youthfulness.

With its yellow cover featuring a wild daisy, readers always place their trust in poet Mai Huu Phuoc's poetry collection: "Touching Autumn" will be a bridge connecting hearts that love poetry and autumn, leading them to a shared understanding and harmony.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/cham-thu-cung-mai-huu-phuoc-725257.html