Written to pay tribute to the years of war and fire.

Although he is over eighty years old, for poet Vu Ngoc Thu, writing prose and poetry is when he can live most authentically with his heart, to express gratitude for the years of hardship, and also to recreate the portraits of his wounded comrades from a time of war and fire.

A moment of rebirth

One morning in June 2022, as we strolled slowly through the solemn and dignified atmosphere of the Museum of the Armed Forces of Military Region 9, we encountered poet and veteran Vu Ngoc Thu standing thoughtfully, gazing at an AR-15 rifle. Surrounded by historical artifacts, the veteran seemed to be reflecting on the brutal years of more than half a century ago...

Poet and veteran Vu Ngoc Thu (second from the left) receives the second prize in the Literature and Arts Newspaper Short Story Contest (2022 - 2024).

Leaving the exhibition space, we sat quietly beside the small-statured veteran, listening to his story. Poet Vu Ngoc Thu was born in 1944 in Cam Thuong, Hai Duong (now Thanh Dong ward, Hai Phong city ). Before putting down his pen and enlisting in the army in 1967, he was a passionate youth union secretary. His memories brought him back to the fierce battlefields of the Southeastern region. On September 14, 1968, as a squad leader in Company 3, Battalion 234, Transport Group 770, Vu Ngoc Thu and his unit received orders to relieve the H9 military supply depot. In the midst of fierce fighting, a bullet from an enemy AR-15 rifle pierced his bicep. Trying to suppress the pain, he continued to grip the rifle tightly. Only when hot blood gushed from the top of his head, blurring his vision, did he realize he had just been hit by a second bullet that fractured his skull.

In that tense moment of close-quarters confrontation, a miracle occurred: a moment of silence. The gunfire from both sides suddenly ceased for a brief instant—a rare and precious moment amidst the smoke and fire of the battlefield. It was in that split-second silence, driven by extraordinary instinct, that he mustered his remaining strength and dashed toward a tree about 20 meters away before collapsing.

After a long trek through the jungle carried on his comrades' shoulders, he spent two days and nights in a deep coma. Thanks to the dedicated care of the doctors and nurses, and the willpower and strength of a soldier, he gradually regained consciousness, marking a miraculous recovery. Because of this rare revival, Mr. Vu Ngoc Thu decided to choose September 14th as his birthday. For him, it was the day nature granted him life once again. In our conversation, he maintained the optimistic and witty spirit of a soldier: "That day, if the bullet had deviated just a little further, the nearby green tree would have received a little more nourishment."

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The playful spirit in his reflections on the line between life and death crystallized into thoughtful verses after he stood before an AR-15 rifle in a museum: "If the bullet had flown a little lower that day / Just a few centimeters and I wouldn't be here anymore / That tree, which I once nurtured with my blood / Would surely be several arm spans tall now?" ("Written for the Day I Was Wounded").

"Marching" across manuscript pages

With peace restored to the country, Mr. Vu Ngoc Thu returned to his hometown, started a family, and lived a simple life. After leaving the battlefield, he continued his work, his manuscripts imbued with the essence of life and the spirit of a soldier. His poetic talent was evident from the days he and his comrades marched through the Truong Son mountain range, climbing the cloud-covered "heaven's gate." In the midst of extreme hardship, his soul remained vibrant and spirited: "To the heaven's gate there are only a few steps / Beyond them is the heaven's gate above / Soldiers march in the clouds and wind / The heaven's gate is left behind..."

To date, veteran Vu Ngoc Thu has achieved remarkable literary success with books bearing his distinctive personal mark, such as: "Time's Stillness," "Leaves Picked Up by the Rain," "Burning Moon Season," "Six-Eight Verse Carrying Rain," "Cactus Without Thorns," "Vu Ngoc Thu's Six-Eight Verse Poetry," "Don't Ask, My Dear," "68 Low Notes in the Grass," etc. He has won several literary awards, including: Third Prize in the Six-Eight Verse Poetry Contest, Army Literature and Arts Magazine (2010-2011); Second Prize in the Short Story Contest, Literature and Arts Newspaper (2022-2024). The publication of the short story collection "Where the Forest Peak Slants in the Sun" (Literature Publishing House, 2023) once again affirms the inner strength and identity of a writer who emerged from the smoke and fire of war. In this collection, 11 out of 12 works are entirely dedicated to the theme of revolutionary war. It was a choice of subject matter, coupled with a haunting longing for the past, and an effort to revive the faces of comrades who had fallen in the wilderness.

Despite being 82 years old, with failing eyesight and recurring aches and pains from old wounds, veteran Vu Ngoc Thu still harbors ambitious plans. He shared that he has just completed his novel "Those Who Walk on the Forest Peaks" and the short story collection "Wild Night Out of Season," and is now focusing his efforts on finalizing the manuscript of his novel "Days When the Guns Are Silent," scheduled for publication in 2026. This serves as a bridge to further explore the painful layers of post-war themes, exemplified by his short story "Silent Riverbank," which won second prize in the Literature and Arts Newspaper Short Story Contest (2022-2024).

What I admire most about author Vu Ngoc Thu is his unwavering loyalty and the noble character of a soldier of Uncle Ho. He cherishes and divides his limited time in old age equally among his family, friends, and comrades. For those nearby, he still personally rides his motorbike to visit and chat with them. For those far away, he connects with them through phone calls and heartfelt messages.

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For poet Vu Ngoc Thu, writing prose and poetry is when he can live most authentically with his heart, to express gratitude for the arduous years and also to recreate the portraits of his wounded comrades from a time of war and fire. His poignant and moving verses depict physical pain but shine with the spirit of camaraderie: "Five of us walked with six feet / Five heads, one not whole / Eight hands digging through a life of hardship / Five limping figures striving to walk..." ("Five Soldier Friends").

When I recall the image of him standing silently before the AR-15 rifle in the museum, I truly understand how the echoes of a time of war still live vividly in his veins. Despite bearing the wounds of time, the poet and veteran Vu Ngoc Thu always lives with generosity and optimism, remaining loyal to his fallen comrades and devoted to all the lives blossoming around him.

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/van-hoc-nghe-thuat/viet-de-tri-an-nhung-nam-thang-hoa-lua-1043404