Chilean friendship through poetry in Tran Dang Khoa's memory

From a poem written by a young Chilean about Vietnam in 1968, poet Tran Dang Khoa - then only 10 years old - responded with a poem to someone he had never met. Nearly 60 years later, he recounted that special story at the launch of the Chilean children's book series "Papelucho", along with profound memories of the country and people of Chile - a place he called "incredibly beautiful, so clean that even wiping the street with a towel would not see any dust".

At the official announcement ceremony of the famous Chilean children's book series "Papelucho" in Vietnam on June 24, poet Tran Dang Khoa, former Vice President of the Vietnam Writers' Association , delivered an emotional speech, not only about children's literature and reading culture, but also a timeless story about friendship, poetry and the connection between the Vietnamese and Chilean peoples.

“I knew Chile when I was a child. When Vietnam was still at war, Chilean friends were with us. I knew hundreds of poems by Pablo Neruda and loved his poetry,” Mr. Khoa began.

Poet Tran Dang Khoa speaks at the official announcement ceremony of the children's book series "Papelucho" coming to Vietnam, June 24, 2025. (Photo: Dinh Hoa)

He said that in 1968, when he was only 10 years old, he read a poem titled "An Open Letter to Vietnam" by a young Chilean - Miraya Hilimet, then 15 years old, living in Santiago. The poem was published in Thieu Nien Tien Phong newspaper, issue 524, which moved the young Tran Dang Khoa so much that he memorized it and kept it until today.

The poem says:

Vietnam

Beautiful like a clear stream

Bleeding Pink Heart

Because of your life

Painful because of bombs

…

Vietnam! Beloved Vietnam

I am far away

Still close to each other, the fighters

I cry out in despair

The whole world screams

Free

Happy

For Vietnam...

Afterwards, the boy Tran Dang Khoa wrote the poem "To my friend Chile" in response, expressing his deep affection for his distant friend, including the following passage:

I have never met you,

But listening to your poems makes my heart flutter...

You love my country

In the stream, the sky and clouds are blue

Love many gentle little friends

Smile open, eyes blue sky…

"I remember that until now, that poem has been printed and reprinted in my poetry collections 168 times. He is 5 years older than me. I am now nearly 70, he is probably around 75. Although we have never met, through poetry, it seems like we have been friends for a long time," poet Tran Dang Khoa shared.

He also talked about his visit to Chile more than a decade ago, a journey he called “unlike any other place I have ever been to”. Having been to 46 countries, Tran Dang Khoa affirmed that no country has left a strong impression like Chile. “It is an incredibly beautiful country. The city is so clean that you feel like you can wipe the street with a towel and not see any dust. Every house has a basket of flowers outside the window and the special thing is that no house is the same.”

During that trip, he visited the house of poet Pablo Neruda - who was an ambassador, cultural activist and a poetic icon of Chile. He recalled that when Neruda passed away in 1973, the Chilean people stood up to recite farewell poems, chanting his name: "Pablo Neruda - here!", as an immortal symbol of the national spirit.

Sharing about the series "Papelucho" by Chilean writer Marcela Paz, poet Tran Dang Khoa highly appreciated the quality and longevity of the work: "This is a book published in the 1930s but until now it is still very attractive, brand new as if it had just been written. That is a wonderful thing."

From his own experience, having written poems for newspapers when he was only 8 years old, he affirmed: "Writing for children is very difficult. Writers must understand children and adults as well. A true work is one that children enjoy reading and adults also enjoy reading. In every child there is an adult in the making and in every adult there is a child who never grows old."

He especially emphasized the attractiveness factor - a prerequisite for children's literature to spread. According to him, "Papelucho" is a work that fully meets that requirement: "The book is attractive on every page, with many humorous, intelligent, and unpredictable details. But what is more valuable is that the lessons are conveyed gently, penetrating the children like games, normal activities, without creating the feeling of being lectured."

Although the story took place in Chile nearly a century ago, for him, "Papelucho" is still close to Vietnamese children today: "Reading it does not feel strange, but when closing it, readers clearly recognize the personality, beauty and culture of Chile appearing in each page of the book."

Poet Tran Dang Khoa expressed his wish to strengthen cooperation in translating and publishing children's literature between Chile and Vietnam, to bring readers unique works from the two cultures.

“Not only Miraya Hilimet, Marcela Paz or Pablo Neruda, I believe there are many other Chilean writers waiting to be introduced to Vietnamese readers. On the contrary, we also hope that Vietnamese children's literature will reach Chilean children and the world. Through literature, we understand each other better. And in friendship between nations, understanding each other is the most solid foundation,” he emphasized.

Source: https://thoidai.com.vn/tinh-ban-chile-qua-tho-trong-ky-uc-tran-dang-khoa-214424.html