Cover of the poetry and painting book "Velvet Rose" by author Phan Ba ​​Ngoc

Phan Ba ​​Ngoc was born and raised in a poor coastal village (An Duong village, Phu Thuan, Phu Vang, Thua Thien Hue ). His talent for writing poetry and painting was revealed quite early when he was still in high school, but it was not until now (when he was about to become an "Elderly Person") that he had his first collection of poems and paintings (mainly composed from 2019 to present). Although it was late, it was necessary, and it was also a way for him to express his pent-up feelings (longing, torment, bitterness, sweetness...) of a love full of unfulfilled dreams, which had haunted him for almost his entire life. Phan Ba ​​Ngoc was right to choose the name of a poem in the collection "Velvet Rose" as the title of the book, which is both meaningful and suitable for the content. Flowers symbolize beauty, are born to beautify life, have their own value and identity. The 72 poems and 72 paintings can be compared to that many flowers, creating the spirit and soul of the work. The two flowers that stand out and linger are real (a red rose for you), and an imaginary one (a meditation flower offered to Buddha). Here, I would like to talk about The Red Rose for You.

The love story of a boy and a girl was sparked in a rustic village (in front of a lagoon, behind the sea, lingering with moss, immense sunshine and wind, salty taste of the sea), while drunk, holding hands and saying words of love with a spring promise, then "Who knew the word unexpected/ Swinging and waiting in front of the gate/ Our fate did not meet/ Sad love early in life" (Spring of that day). Too sudden and abrupt, making the boy not know what to do but to borrow alcohol to drown his sorrows, to the point that: "Alcohol follows each vein of warm soft lips/ Lulls gently through the rhythm of the moonlight/ Is it because the cold sky is lonely/ Wishing to be gently called by your name" (Drunk). Although the broken love is "soft", it is not tragic. Your fresh image is still imprinted in my mind, and not only mine, but also with strangers who cannot be indifferent. "You are as beautiful as a red velvet rose / In the middle of the dark night, you still shine brightly in life / The scent blends with the wind and fills the deserted street corner / The traveler stops, absent-mindedly walking, unable to stop" (The Velvet Rose).

Missing and restless, he searched for memories of the past, to feel and listen to the echo of his heart "I miss the sad sunlight reflecting on my memories/ The afternoon zither sound is still restless and loose/ What to say to you, you are also forever far away/ So the old path is full of love and longing" (Old Path). Then he silently prayed "Just once, just once/ The old bird is tired/ Bringing the scent of tangled hair/ The salty sea soaks the color of lips" (Old Path); and "Playing with my hand to pick a bit of wind/ Resting on the pink heart/ Waiting for the night dew to spread dreams/ The sun returns, love blooms" (Praying for love)... I wondered and searched for the reason for the breakup of that rosy love, then here "It's over, is it over from now on/ You are noble and chose silk marks/ Then left me just for money and all/ Because the humble and the noble blame me for my dark skin" (A gift for you); Even though we had been through so much, he was still forgiving and tolerant: "My dear/ If that day/ Your feet are tired/ Because of loneliness, fate, and the ways of life/ Please come back here and settle down for a bit/ The tent is not closed, the red stove is still waiting" (If that day I come back).

Poetry does not necessarily beautify paintings, and paintings do not stand side by side to illustrate poetry, but they are born from the same mother, at the same time, a Velvet Rose for you, right, author Phan Ba ​​Ngoc (working in construction and interior decoration, currently residing on the other side of the world)? If so, from now on I will surely feel relieved because I have said what I wanted to say for so long.

Le Viet Xuan