Bidding farewell to poet Dang Hong Thiep

(Baonghean)Born in 1937 in Lien Thanh commune (Yen Thanh district), Dang Hong Thiep's pen name appeared relatively late in the Nghe An poetry scene. It wasn't until 1997, just before his retirement, that he published his first poetry collection, titled "Suburbs."

Poet Dang Hong Thiep receives the 2012 award for best work from Vietnam Writers Magazine. Photo: Lang Hong Quang

I remember that I had just transferred from the Ha Tinh Literature and Arts Association back to Vinh, working for the Nghe An Culture Magazine and then the Song Lam Magazine. The editorial offices were both just a few dozen meters walk from Mr. Thiep's house, so I often met and chatted with him, sometimes at his private residence, sometimes at the Literature and Arts Association. He was a poetry member of the Association, so a noticeable trait of Dang Hong Thiep was his deep love for poetry, his passion for writing, and his fondness for meeting fellow poets; his temperament was calm and reserved, but whenever a problematic situation arose requiring an expression of his opinion, he would speak clearly and decisively. Some people said Mr. Thiep had a bit of the "eccentricity" typical of people from Nghe An, perhaps that's why?

With his experience, refined manners, stable family life, opportunities to travel extensively both domestically and internationally, and his deep poetic aspirations, it's easy to understand why Dang Hong Thiep writes so much, publishes so many books, and meticulously curates each poetry collection published annually. The more than 15 volumes of Dang Hong Thiep's poetry, not including anthologies and complete works, published in less than two decades have astonished many readers and writers near and far with his literary prowess. There are poems about his homeland, family, and friends; poems about the exotic lands he has traveled to; poems about Thang Long – Hanoi; poems about President Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Bac War Zone; and poems about distant islands and seas – places he may never have set foot in, but whose understanding and soul he has experienced.

Recently, he had a moving collection of poems about President Ho Chi Minh that won a provincial award and was featured on the online edition of the Writers' Magazine – Vietnam Writers Association. He called and told me to check it out online. That's Dang Hong Thiep for you; you get angry at someone but then forget about it immediately, especially if that person shares his love of poetry and cares about the practical issues of life that poets cannot afford to ignore...

Besides the Song Lam Magazine, Dang Hong Thiep has become increasingly involved with the Nghe An Weekend Newspaper, focusing on poetry. His concise, thought-provoking poems, connected to current events, with their often ethereal and dreamlike imagery, have earned him a firm place in the hearts of readers. Every time his poems are published, he happily calls to thank the editorial staff after reading them. There was also an instance where his poems were... edited, and he coldly called to "warn" them that he would no longer collaborate. But a few days later, he was seen laughing, shaking hands, and telling Hung to take his collection of poems home to read, showing that his poems, written today, weren't fully understood by everyone yet! Was this a display of confidence, or a gentle reminder?

Friends had just met at the Provincial Arts Congress. Sadly, after a sudden illness, on the afternoon of August 7, 2013, poet Dang Hong Thiep passed away. Well, his remaining poetry collections will speak for him to today and future generations...

Kim Hung