I was born and raised in a village, a place where lush green bamboo groves rustled closely together, a place that embraced me from my barefoot childhood, a place of honesty and simplicity with golden rice fields, tirelessly irrigated by canals...
I was born and raised in a village surrounded by green bamboo groves... (Image from the Internet)
Life's demands forced me to leave home, and for more than half my life, I occasionally return to my hometown. During these visits, I dedicate my precious time to strolling along the village paths, to find joy, to witness the transformation of my homeland, and to recall my childhood surrounded by bamboo groves full of memories. And suddenly, a poem by Nguyen Duy from my school days resonates within me:
"Green bamboo"
When did it become green?
Once upon a time... there was a green bamboo grove.
The stem is thin and the leaves are delicate.
But why do bamboo trees form ramparts and fortifications?
Bamboo is lush and green everywhere.
"Whether it's gravelly soil, limey soil, or barren land..."
I followed the long, winding alley that hugged the edge of the village, now wide, clean, and paved with concrete, with many new houses springing up. The sounds of carpentry and welding tools filled the air. Most of the bamboo grove had been cut down, leaving only scattered, scrawny clumps. A moment of stunned silence returned as I stopped beside the bamboo grove at the edge of the village, the same grove I knew before I was born: "Grandpa Canh's bamboo grove."
Oh, the beloved old bamboo grove of my childhood, of generations of hardworking, diligent villagers! Summer afternoons spent playing marbles and throwing sticks with friends, and winter days peeling old bamboo shoots and gathering dry twigs for my mother to light the fire. Old Mr. Canh diligently dug up and trimmed the old roots, drying them for fuel. When I innocently asked him why, he explained: "I'm digging up the old roots so the bamboo can sprout new shoots." This grove was planted at the edge of the village, becoming a gathering place and resting spot for villagers returning from working in the fields, so he couldn't bring himself to cut it down and left it there until today.
The beloved old bamboo grove of childhood, of generations of hardworking, diligent villagers... (Image from the Internet)
In the past, when times were tough and scarce, bamboo was like a confidant, a protector, embodying the friendly spirit of the village. Bamboo was planted extensively and became a shield during each rainy and stormy season. Bamboo is easy to grow and has a strong vitality even when cut down. Bamboo is used for everything from major tasks like building houses, pillars, fences, plows, rice mills, and livestock shelters; to smaller tasks like weaving baskets, sieves, handles for hoes and shovels, toothpicks, and chopsticks...
Bamboo is a source of joy for children, from toy guns and sticks to fishing rods. Bamboo is used to carry people on their way to the afterlife. Everything requires bamboo. On hot, humid summer afternoons, people sit on bamboo benches, fanning themselves with bamboo fans, or lie in hammocks under the shade of bamboo, chatting animatedly. In the past, bamboo was also a food source. Bamboo shoots were harvested, thinly sliced, and boiled to stave off hunger, with a slightly bitter taste on the tongue. Bamboo leaves were used by traditional medicine practitioners in herbal steam baths to treat illnesses...
Seeing bamboo evokes a sense of peace and tranquility.
Seeing bamboo evokes a sense of tranquility and peace. Beneath those bamboo groves lies the cultural identity of the community, the lifeblood and endless source of love within each person. Bamboo is no longer just an essential item in rural areas. Although becoming increasingly scarce, bamboo still exists elegantly and gracefully when planted as ornamental plants in cafes, hotels, and restaurants. Bamboo is used to make handicrafts, souvenirs, and statues crafted from its roots and stems, which are very soulful and highly sought after.
Returning to the village and seeing the bamboo brings an unusual sense of peace, a profound sense of tranquility and serenity. The fresh, familiar atmosphere encapsulates the simple yet noble essence of my homeland.
Trung Phong
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