Due to an unexpected accident, Le Nhat Anh suddenly passed away in the early days of spring this year (March 8, 2025), at a time when his creative abilities and passion were still at their peak, leaving behind much grief for his friends and family…
I first met Le Nhat Anh at the Da Nang Union of Arts and Literature Associations' Creative Writing Camp in Vung Tau in 2020. At first glance, anyone could easily mistake him for an energetic photographer and tour guide. Although only a member of the Ba Ria – Vung Tau Provincial Arts and Literature Association, he was extremely proactive, frequently meeting with and kindly escorting fellow artists from Da Nang on field trips throughout the camp. It wasn't until a poetry and music exchange event that we learned more about him: besides photography, Le Nhat Anh is also a poet with many published works that are well-loved by readers. Poet Vu Thanh Hoa introduced him, saying, "Le Nhat Anh writes in a diverse style: lục bát poetry, free verse, prose poetry… And whether it's love poetry or social commentary, it generally exudes a straightforward and frank spirit. Perhaps if Le Nhat Anh expressed his thoughts and perspectives in a more nuanced and multifaceted way, he might have faced fewer negative consequences?"
Several poetry collections by Le Nhat Anh have been published, including: "Autumn Passing Through the Alley" (Thanh Nien Publishing House, 2003); "Your Day" (Vietnam Writers Association Publishing House, 2013); "Stories of the Mountains" (Vietnam Writers Association Publishing House, 2018); "Evening Not for Writing Poetry" (Vietnam Writers Association Publishing House, 2021)... His poems have also been set to music by various composers and widely released, such as: "Night Wind" (music by Minh Hue), "Loving the Fifty-Year-Old" (music by Minh Hue)... During the exchange at the Creative Writing Camp of the Da Nang Union of Arts and Literature Associations in Vung Tau, Le Nhat Anh's poems were successfully set to music by Da Nang composers, such as: "Vung Tau on a Day Without You" (music by Phan Thanh Truong), "My Dear!" (music by Quang Khanh)...
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| From left to right: Le Nhat Anh, Tran Trung Sang, Nguyen Ngoc Hanh. |
As a poet with a talent for photography, Le Nhat Anh excels at themes of homeland and affection. Through his travels across the country, he observes, photographs, and reflects with deeply emotional and subtle perspectives. Notably, among his published poetry collections, he dedicates a significant portion to the Central Highlands, where he was born and raised. Indeed, without having breathed the air of that region, it would be difficult to find the emotionally charged verses below:
"A plateau of sunshine and wind."
Who is to blame for this scorching heat in the forest?
The forest is left with only a few trees.
The Ede people remember the days in the mountains.
The basket has a slender base.
"The mountain girl came down to the city with sad eyes..."
Sometimes, due to their deep affection and love, the poet's emotions are expressed to the point of choking with sorrow and pain:
"This highland land has a strange mix of sunshine and rain."
The water from the mountains flows endlessly downstream.
The hearth of the highland people keeps the fire burning.
Fermented rice wine is made from forest leaves and other plants.
The upstream land feels choked with emotion as evening falls.
The desolate mountain is devoid of trees.
The barren field, forgotten to bear fruit.
"Where did the mountain girl go after leaving her village for the city?"
The son, who grew up in the misty, red-soil countryside and, through his travels and experiences across the country, always cherishes, longs for, and seeks refuge in the highlands, because it is the most peaceful place:
"I'll follow you through another difficult season."
In the old days, back in my hometown, we also used to hoe and plow.
The soul loves the mountains, so it seeks to return.
A moment of peace amidst the sunshine and breezes of the highlands.
Whether it's early morning, late at night, or a rainy day:
"In Dak Mil town, we have early morning coffee."
The rolling hills stretch endlessly into the verdant landscape.
The Serepok River flows into a neighboring country.
In Buon Don, we hear stories about elephants.
Evening in Buon Ma Thuot
Heavy rain, then a silent, still road.
A stray breeze crosses the late-night street.
"The highland rain soaked our whole day of love."
Nguyen Binh, a fellow poet who is perhaps the most empathetic to Le Nhat Anh's poetry, commented: "Le Nhat Anh has applied his abundant life experiences from his photography work to his poetry. Therefore, his poems are always fresh, unique, and each poem has a theme and a distinct style. The language of his poetry is colloquial, unpretentious, creating a natural, friendly voice that is closely connected to the lives of the people, especially the ethnic groups in the northern Central Highlands."
Shortly before his passing, Le Nhat Anh and his friends took a cross-Vietnam trip from South to North. Of course, he didn't miss the opportunity to visit his hometown of Tien Phuoc ( Quang Nam ) and stop by Da Nang to see fellow artists he had met. And today, among the poetry collections Anh sent me that I still keep, I was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion when I unexpectedly came across these lines of poetry:
"Today I'm going back to the mountains."
We've covered half the distance.
Yeah, maybe tomorrow.
We never met in this life.
Yes, maybe tomorrow… but why so soon? Farewell, Le Nhat Anh, my talented artist friend, halfway… to the mountains, to the peaceful homeland you always dreamed of…
Source: https://baodaklak.vn/van-hoa-du-lich-van-hoc-nghe-thuat/van-hoc-nghe-thuat/202504/nua-doan-duong-tien-ban-415061c/
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