Following his two poetry collections, "Chaotic Writings" and "Nameless Afternoons Like Ink Stained in Life," poet and journalist Nguyen Tien Thanh, Director of the Education Publishing House and former Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper "Life and Law," has just released his third poetry collection, "Distant Songs."
Poet Nguyen Tien Thanh was famous among Hanoi students as a prominent figure in the student poetry movement at Hanoi University in the 1980s. His poems were copied by hand by students and passed around for reading.
Poet Tiến Thanh (on the right) shares his thoughts on the poetry collection Viễn Ca.
This new poetry collection comprises 39 poems, written by Nguyen Tien Thanh over the past six years, reflecting the poet's thoughts and reflections on life and love as he enters middle age.
Poet Nguyen Tien Thanh has over 30 years of experience in journalism and is currently the Chairman of the Board of Members and General Director of Vietnam Education Publishing House.
Poet Nguyen Tien Thanh shared: “I studied Literature at the University of Hanoi, and after graduation, I was retained to teach for a short time. After that, I worked in journalism, a profession related to justice, so I was thrown around by life so much that I didn't have time to create poetry. 'Distant Song' is the journey that a person must go through in their life's path. Along that journey, I encounter many landscapes, and I only record those scenes with words and emotions.”
For poet Nguyen Tien Thanh, in the journey of life, every step is a renewal, and so is poetry; each poem is a continuation of different emotions and associations. After 30 years in journalism, transitioning to a different profession, he believes that he, as a person, must also change.
Commenting on the poetry collection "Viễn ca" (Epic Poem), poet Nguyen Quang Thieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers Association, said he was very surprised when Nguyen Tien Thanh released this collection: "We were both members of the poetry club since Thanh was a student. We thought that Tien Thanh would forget poetry when he became an administrator, but one autumn day, he reappeared in a different spirit, a different phase, and a different rhythm."
The poetry collection "Viễn ca"
Poet Nguyen Quang Thieu commented: “The 'Distant Songs' collection contains many six-eight syllable poems, which reminds me of the image of an agarwood tree – the leaves remain the same, the tree remains the same, but within the tree's core lies the accumulated fragrance of agarwood. Tien Thanh's poetry is like that; he journeys through life, through joys and sorrows, inspirations, with an open eye to view life, bringing him experiences and accumulated knowledge. The style remains unchanged, the form remains traditional, but the romance and adventure are still like in his youth, yet each day carries a greater message, because it flows within the stream of thought. That's why many friends who read his poems before received this collection with surprise and contemplation. Poetry has many paths, and Tien Thanh chose the path of walking subtly through life, until the day it is revealed. 'Distant Songs' still contains the trembling of poetry, yet is full of the philosophical depth of life.”
Writing about the poetry collection "Viễn ca" (Epic Poem), literary critic Nguyễn Hoài Nam of Nhân Dân Newspaper, a member of the Central Council for Literary and Artistic Criticism, commented that Nguyễn Tiến Thanh began his poetic career in the student poetry movement at Hanoi universities in the late 1980s and early 1990s, years when the gloom of life instantly disappeared, leaving only the sublime moments of poetry and the ecstatic emotions that erupted whenever dormitory poetry nights began.
Poet Tiến Thành signs autographs for readers.
In those years, young people loved poetry, were so engrossed in it that they forgot about the constant hunger gnawing at their stomachs. Many of Nguyen Tien Thanh's poems written during this period are still memorized by some. And their spirit – passionately romantic and wildly unconventional – seems to still shine brightly even today, after several decades.
Literary critic Nguyen Hoai Nam argues that in Nguyen Tien Thanh's "Viễn ca" (Distant Song), the playful, boisterous, and unrestrained quality has diminished, but in return, his new poetry collection boasts a richer depth of thought, a unique language, and a sophisticated system of poetic imagery.
Nguyen Tien Thanh does not advocate for poetic innovation; in fact, his poetry leans heavily towards classical styles. However, reading his poems always reveals a certain freshness—a freshness found in the work of a poet who constantly delves deep into self-discovery and contemplates distant, dreamlike horizons.
Source: https://toquoc.vn/nha-tho-nguyen-tien-thanh-ghi-lai-hanh-trinh-cuoc-doi-bang-ngon-tu-va-cam-xuc-20240905093223731.htm
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