Discussion on Nguyen Tien Thanh's poetry in the flow of contemporary Vietnamese poetry

On the morning of October 21, at the Writers' Association Publishing House, the Institute of Literature (Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences) in collaboration with the Vietnam Writers' Association organized the scientific seminar "Nguyen Tien Thanh's poetry in the movement of contemporary Vietnamese poetry".

Discussion on the works of poet Nguyen Tien Thanh.

The seminar attracted the participation of many poets, critics, researchers, university lecturers and a large number of poetry lovers. The event was also an academic and artistic meeting to identify, analyze and evaluate the position and contribution of poet Nguyen Tien Thanh in the movement of contemporary poetry.

In his opening speech, writer Nguyen Quang Thieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers Association , emphasized: Nguyen Tien Thanh's poetry is a special voice. Therein lies the human's anxiety before the changing reality, the desire to regain self in the midst of a life full of changes, and the most precious thing is that the poet is always loyal to true emotions, to the work of words and the responsibility of a writer.

According to poet Nguyen Quang Thieu, Nguyen Tien Thanh's poetry has inner strength from contemplation, belief, and creative attitude. Reading his poetry, we recognize in him a journey that is both private and universal. The author talks about himself, but we see in it the shadows of many other people. The author goes through the joys and sorrows, seemingly trivial details of life to then touch on big questions about humanity, belief, and the meaning of existence.

Chairman of the Vietnam Writers Association Nguyen Quang Thieu delivered the opening speech at the discussion.

Nguyen Tien Thanh is a person who believes that poetry does not save the world , but can save people from the hardness of their souls. For that reason, he always writes with a serious attitude, considering each word as a living being. That is what makes readers appreciate him - a worker in art who always returns to the pure nature of language and emotions.

In her opening remarks, Associate Professor, Dr. Ly Hoai Thu said that Nguyen Tien Thanh's poetry is a process of continuous self-dialogue of the modern self, where the personal voice blends with human and social issues, but still retains a private resonance and philosophical depth. She commented: While many contemporary poets lean towards instinctive emotions, Nguyen Tien Thanh aims for a balance between intelligence and emotion, between imagery and thought.

Poet Nguyen Viet Chien emphasizes the "self-movement" in his poems. Accordingly, Nguyen Tien Thanh is a writer who writes little but skillfully. Each of his poems is a carefully crafted piece of thought, carrying within it the echoes of memories, of human destiny, and of faith in the power of humanity.

In her speech at the conference, Dr. Ha Thanh Van discussed the youth system and philosophical lyricism in Nguyen Tien Thanh's poetry. According to the researcher, Nguyen Tien Thanh's poetry does not stop at the freshness and romance of youth, but is a youth that has been contemplated, containing the sadness and loneliness of a person who has gone through the changes of the times. The image of youth in his poetry is no longer a brilliant moment, but an inner flow, where people realize the limits and fragile beauty of existence.

Dr. Ha Thanh Van shares her speech.

If in his early works, the main emotions were still romantic and nostalgic, then in "Viên ca", Nguyen Tien Thanh has approached a philosophical poetic voice, with a retreat, with contemplation about people, time, memories and destiny. His lyrical self is a reflective self, following the steps of time to reflect on himself. The verses seem gentle, but behind them is the depth of human thought. The poetic language is simple, refined, not showing off techniques, but focusing on "narrative of emotions". The tone is sometimes like a whisper, a dialogue with the self.

Nguyen Tien Thanh's poetry is not outside the general movement of Vietnamese poetry in the renovation period, where the individual is placed at the center and the inner voice is dominant. However, unlike the "extreme innovation" trend of some contemporary authors, Nguyen Tien Thanh maintains in his poetry the humanism and traditional features of the Vietnamese language, making his works both modern, close, and evocative.

The discussions at the seminar approached Nguyen Tien Thanh's poetry from many aspects: poetics, humanistic thought, social context and artistic language. Many opinions agreed that it is the result of a persistent journey in creative work and the writer always seeks to reconcile between emotion and reason, between the individual and the collective, between personal vibration and the civic responsibility of the writer.

Some papers emphasize the artistic aspect of expression, Nguyen Tien Thanh has a restrained way of using language, rich in melody, and many layers of meaning. The author's words seem simple but contain great evocative power; the images are not elaborate but always open up philosophical depth. Simplification in poetry is sometimes not the exhaustion of emotions, but the result of a distillation process to leave only the purest part of the poet's soul.

Poet Nguyen Tien Thanh.

On the ideological and emotional level, researchers affirm that Nguyen Tien Thanh’s poetry is imbued with civic consciousness and humanistic spirit. The lyrical self in his poetry is not closed, but opens to the world, always troubled by human fate, changes in society and life values. In it, love, memory and faith are still present, creating warmth and steadfastness in the poetic style.

Regarding his position in the flow of contemporary Vietnamese poetry, many opinions say that Nguyen Tien Thanh is a representative face of the trend of introverted poetry, when language becomes a journey of perception, not just a means of expressing emotions. The author's poetry does not seek to break the form but goes into the depth of contemplation, renewing poetry with silence, with the ability to evoke in the reader the need to dialogue with himself.

Overall, the presentations were unanimous that Nguyen Tien Thanh’s poetry has a long-lasting influence. In the context of Vietnamese poetry today facing many challenges in terms of readership and aesthetics, poetry still has the ability to awaken, guide and purify the human soul.

In his final speech, poet Nguyen Tien Thanh shared his sincere and profound thoughts on his creative journey as well as the role of poetry in today's life. He opened with a symbolic image: In a world run by algorithms, poetry still travels with the heart.

According to the poet, in the era of data and technology, poetry still retains its original nature, the voice of emotions, of inner honesty. A verse, no matter how small, can still exist in human memory like a "tiny speck of dust" of memory.

Some outstanding works of poet Nguyen Tien Thanh.

The poet believes that each poem, once written, no longer belongs to the author but becomes the property of time and readers. He does not define the position of his poetry in the process or trend, because for him, writing is simply a way to keep the intact part of the soul in the midst of a turbulent life.

Poet Nguyen Tien Thanh affirmed: "Poetry is not intended to express the world but is the way the world reveals itself through people trembling before it."

Poetry is the moment when language transcends function, reason bows to emotion. He shares his view: Poetry does not need to be modern or best-selling, but needs to be true to the rhythm of human life. When the world is noisy, poetry must know how to calm down; when people are busy measuring value by views, poetry quietly retains the elegance of things that can only be measured by heartbeats.

He also recognizes the relationship between poetry and technology: poetry can be written in any medium, but the core is still human vibration. The poet believes that Vietnamese poetry today is at an interesting "crossroads", both carrying national memories, conversing with the world, and being attached to technology while still maintaining the soul. Each poet is a unique frequency in the harmony of contemporary Vietnamese poetry.

MAI LU - TUYET LOAN

Source: https://nhandan.vn/toa-dam-ve-tho-nguyen-tien-thanh-trong-dong-chay-tho-ca-viet-nam-duong-dai-post916854.html