Author - Work: Sweet Hometown

( Quang Ngai Newspaper) - "Countryside" is the second collection of poems by author Do Minh Tam, from Truong Quan Trong Ward (Quang Ngai City), after the collection of poems "Fragrance of Love", published by the Writers' Association Publishing House in November 2024. The collection of poems is full of emotions, bringing readers back to the most sincere feelings in life. Each line of poetry is like a gentle stroke, creating an overall picture of life and people in the peaceful countryside.

The poetry collection "Neo que" by author Do Minh Tam has 259 poems, with many poetic forms such as: Four words, five words, six words, seven words, eight words, six-eight, seven-word eight-line Tang poetry. Most of them are written in the six-eight verse form. Do Minh Tam's poetry does not use abstract language but uses a simple, rich writing style, the writing style of a person who has experienced a lot in life. Therefore, Do Minh Tam's poems are easy to feel, easy to understand, like confidences. Perhaps that is also his gratitude to his parents, his virtuous wife as well as his teachers, dear friends... For example, the poem "Neo que", which is also the name of the poetry collection, expresses the author's personal feelings about his homeland through sweet six-eight verses: "Neo que, a burden of life/ The love of the homeland, the rivers and waters, a time of longing/ Time and years go together/ The mountains and rivers, the mountains and waters of a homeland" (Neo que).

Those who were born and raised in the countryside and then left their hometown to make a living in a foreign land will certainly "carry" the name of their commune, the name of their village, carry the "hometown" in their consciousness, so that every time they succeed or fail, every time they are happy or sad, they have a place to rely on and walk steadily in life. Author Do Minh Tam is the same! During the years away from home, he carried his "hometown" on his heavy shoulders. That feeling is clearly expressed through familiar images such as the golden rice fields, the gentle river, the ferry, the boat, the moonlit night of the countryside... "At the beginning of the season, the flowers bloom with tears/ The river bathes coolly, the sun shines with longing/ My hometown, how beautiful/ The river, the ferry, how many ferry fates" (My hometown river). These verses with the skillful personification technique create a connection between nature and people, evoking sympathy in the reader's heart for the author's love for his homeland.

In that "country soul", of course, the image of the gentle mother is indispensable: "Following the melody of the zither/ The soul of the countryside carries a burden of gratitude to the gentle mother" (Country Soul). He always remembers the kindness of his parents: "Remembering father's birthday/ The children respectfully offer delicious dishes" (Father's Birthday). Then, in the years when he had his own family, every time he went far away, he remembered the image of his gentle wife: "The road of life is always full of wandering/ The first credit is my wife who helps me in every way" (Love Song to Wife).

The above verses are gentle and full of emotion, making the reader feel the author's boundless love for his parents and his virtuous wife.

In the poetry collection “Homeland”, Do Minh Tam devoted many poems to praising fathers’ merits, mothers’ kindness and husband and wife’s love such as: “Evening meal”, “Happy New Year to mother”, “Father’s birthday”, “Remembering parents”, “Returning to mother’s land”, “Mother’s land - father’s homeland”, “My wife”, “Spring away from home, missing my good wife”, “Sad night missing you”, “Wife’s birthday”, “Wedding day”...

In addition to the above poems, this collection of poems also contains many poems about the beautiful memories of a childhood spent in the countryside, "bathing in the rain", under the "dim oil lamp", under the "country moon" night such as: "Remembering the grapefruit flower season", "Finding old traces", "Finding childhood", "Love of the countryside in those days", "Memories", "Kite of childhood"... Through these poems, the author expresses his feelings with many realistic and emotional images: "Let me find my childhood again/ The kites of those days were originally playful/ Playing marbles, some won and some lost/ Wading through the river to catch fish and crabs by the fields" (Finding childhood again). It must be said that, without a truly moved soul and true emotions, it is impossible to write such memorable verses.

In particular, the collection of poems also includes poems about the author's reflections, to advise his children: "Do not do greedy things / Bind yourself to the sea of ​​​​worldly suffering and sorrow / A little bit to remember for the future / Leave a good reputation for life" (Something left to remember). And: "Must cultivate the virtues of the Saints / When you die, you will return to the upper world" (Live honestly). The language in these sentences is very close, simple but has great evocative power, bringing readers into a poetic space full of emotions.

The poetry collection "Homeland" by author Do Minh Tam certainly cannot avoid shortcomings, but it can be said that this is a poetic work full of humanity that has touched the hearts of readers, evoking in readers deep emotions about humanity and love for the homeland.

PHAM VAN HOANH

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Source: https://baoquangngai.vn/van-hoa/202501/tac-gia-tac-pham-neo-que-mai-ngot-ngao-0ee1319/