Telling the story of Truong Sa through poetry.

The children's poetry collection "Tet in Truong Sa, My Homeland" features charming little stories about the Truong Sa archipelago through the eyes of a 6-year-old resident. Written by Lu Mai, the collection is licensed by the Vietnam Writers Association Publishing House and exclusively distributed by Thao Nguyen Culture and Communication Co., Ltd. and Carobooks.

A page of poetry from the poetry collection "Tet in Truong Sa, My Homeland". (Photo: Provided by the author)

The poetry collection is structured as a children's narrative poem, with the central character being six-year-old Hạt Dưa, a "little citizen" born and raised in the Trường Sa archipelago. Through Hạt Dưa's innocent and pure voice, the book unfolds before the eyes of mainland children a Tet holiday in the face of the waves and winds—both familiar and novel, simple and sacred.

In the trend of children's books with the theme of Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year), "Tet in Truong Sa, My Homeland" opens up a space for Tet on a remote island with unique perceptions of the colors, rhythms, and beauty of nature and people. The book uses three main colors: white, blue, and pink, symbolizing the distinctive beauty of the sea, the sky, the colors of peach blossoms in spring, and the colors of the navy soldiers' uniforms…

The poetry collection "Tet in Truong Sa, My Homeland".

The four-word and five-word verse forms consistently chosen by poet Lữ Mai create a flexible, playful, clear, easy-to-read, easy-to-remember, and easy-to-sing rhythm. Each poem is like a small wave, gently caressing the souls of children, then spreading naturally.

The poems in this collection guide the reader through familiar images of Tet (Vietnamese New Year) that nonetheless reflect the spirit of the islands: Wrapping banh chung (traditional rice cakes) amidst the salty sea breeze; Peach blossoms swaying in the waves at the harbor; A five-fruit platter different from the mainland, containing both "real and fake" fruits; A peculiar New Year's pole reaching high in the sun and wind of Truong Sa; Lanterns lit from the twelfth lunar month; Spring ships bringing Tet gifts from the mainland to the islands; The vibrant red national flag against the blue sky; A Tet feast by the waves, where people and the sea gather together, yet still yearn for those far away…

Poet Lữ Mai doesn't take the position of an adult to "explain" Trường Sa to children, but instead assumes the role of a 6-year-old girl named Hạt Dưa as the narrator. Hạt Dưa recounts Tet (Lunar New Year) on the island using childlike language: innocent, surprised, sometimes whimsical, and at many moments of poignant emotion. This is what makes Trường Sa feel so familiar, like a small, bustling countryside filled with laughter and nostalgia.

Alongside this is a naturally evoked feeling of gratitude for the soldiers on the front lines. The poems place the soldiers in the context of Tet (Vietnamese New Year): standing guard by the waves, celebrating New Year's Eve far from home, defending the island in spring, and mingling with the people. This simple beauty helps young children appreciate the value of peace, thereby fostering respect and gratitude.

Sharing her thoughts on the poetry collection, poet Lu Mai expressed: “I wrote this small book with the wish to portray Truong Sa as a beloved place, with children, families, spring, and Tet (Vietnamese New Year). When I think of children, I always believe that they perceive life through emotions. Therefore, from those small details, their faith and love will naturally sprout. The character of the little girl, Hat Dua (Watermelon Seed), was born from that wish. This character is also based on the prototypes of the children I met, talked to, and played with in Truong Sa. They grew up amidst the waves, incredibly innocent and pure. Besides that, I always felt compassion for the Tet celebrations of the soldiers on the distant islands. They “Guard the island so that the people can celebrate Tet / Guard the sea and sky so that the Fatherland can enter spring,” as the content of the Tet couplet at the forefront of the waves says. I hope readers can feel: To have a fulfilling Tet, there are those who silently stand guard amidst the spring.”

Ms. Minh Man, Director of Communications at Thao Nguyen Culture and Communication Co., Ltd., and Production Director of the poetry collection project "Tet in Truong Sa, My Homeland," shared: "We hope this book will truly become a lasting spiritual gift for children, helping them feel that Truong Sa is not far away, that Tet is Vietnamese Tet wherever they are, and that in today's peace, countless people are silently sacrificing and preserving it. Carobooks chose to exclusively publish the work because of its humanistic, educational , and high aesthetic value, which also aligns with our company's direction of creating children's publications that are rich in depth and Vietnamese identity."

Poet Lu Mai, born in 1988, currently works at Nhan Dan Newspaper and is a member of the Vietnam Writers Association, the Vietnam Linguistics Association, and the Hanoi Writers Association. She has published more than 20 works covering a diverse range of themes and genres.

Poet Lu Mai has won several awards: the Vietnam Writers Association's Award for Literature on Border and Island Themes from 1975 to the present; the Ministry of National Defense's Award for Literature, Arts, and Journalism on the Armed Forces and Revolutionary War Themes for the period 2020-2025; the Naval Command's Award for Literature, Arts, and Journalism for the period 2016-2020; and an award from the General Political Department of the Vietnam People's Army.

THUY NGA

Source: https://nhandan.vn/ke-chuyen-truong-sa-qua-tho-post930368.html