"Calm and peaceful amidst the clouds"

Poet Ngo Thanh Van shared: “Eight years has been a turbulent period for me personally. Failure, success, happiness, and suffering have all been lessons that have helped me grow into the person I am today. I use the image of clouds to illustrate my chosen way of living in this world.”

Cover of the poetry collection "Van Khong". **Photo: Thai Binh**

Indeed, "Van Khong" bears the author's unique mark right from the title of the book, the arrangement and layout reflecting a poetic soul with an understanding of painting. Ngo Thanh Van herself painted the illustrations for architect Nguyen Quoc Hoc's cover design. Along with that are illustrations by artist Dang Mau Tuu and a vivid portrait of the author by artist Do Hoang Tuong.

After spending time reading the poetry collection, I personally believe that "Van Khong" possesses a rich and subtle language, a profound yet fresh range of emotions, and life reflections from a woman deeply devoted to poetry. This is how she expresses her perspective on life, thereby conveying a mindset: even after weathering storms, her heart remains oriented towards serenity, like a light cloud drifting across the sky.

Therefore, it's easy to understand why in the song "The Sky is Light with Clouds," Ngo Thanh Van wrote: "Taking a step back / It seems I'm moving forward / Each path is wide and spacious / The sky is light with warm clouds / Gently drifting away two pure hopes."

Perhaps, many readers, like myself, feel beautiful emotions when their eyes meet these verses. Personally, I read the entire collection in a continuous stream, trying to "find" the poem that gives the book its title, or at least the one that intentionally repeats the phrase "Vân không" (Cloudy Void) as in the above stanza. However, I absolutely could not find it. And I suspect this was the author's deliberate intention: to allow each line, each word, to resonate deeply within the reader.

Of course, this sentiment is expressed by Ngo Thanh Van in most of the poems in the collection. The image of clouds, with its various variations, is repeatedly mentioned, containing different meanings, as if in motion becoming a symbol. Some examples include: "Above the Cloud Layers," "Returning the Vast, Clear Days," "White Clouds," "Then You Are Like the Vast Sky," "The Song of the Clouds," etc. Therefore, the image of "Cloudless" not only represents gentle drifting, freedom, and detachment from worldly concerns, but also conveys warmth, closeness, and communion. As the poet puts it: "You are silent, speaking only of your eyes / Yet overflowing with a sea of affection."

Commenting on the poetry collection, Associate Professor-Doctor Ngo Van Gia said: “Van's poems before 'Van Khong' were full of torment and contemplation. In 'Van Khong,' Van's poetry is calmer, like drifting clouds, like 'gentle flowers and grass . ' This creates a new aspect compared to Van's previous poetry collections.”

Literary critic Hoang Dang Khoa observed: “‘Cloud Emptiness’ is Ngo Thanh Van’s poetic pilgrimage through the precarious realms of fate and emotion, ultimately finding a degree of spiritual relief. The verses are simple and unadorned yet rich in musicality, sometimes poignant and heavy, sometimes light and airy, like clouds without fixed form. Each person carries a baggage of nothingness. Ten white fingers wave at white clouds. Just live gently. Like clouds in the sky…”

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/ung-dung-thanh-than-giua-may-troi-post567477.html