Professor - Doctor Nguyen Huy Dung: 'Seniors question themselves with poetry'

• DNUM_AGZAIZCABH 14:30

(Baonghean) - I have heard of Professor - Doctor Nguyen Huy Dung for a long time, but only recently did I have the opportunity to meet him. Handsome with white hair, silver beard, and a kind, fresh smile, at the age of 86, he has just published his 14th poetry collection. His literary friends still humorously tell each other that in the last few collections, he always thought of each as "his last poetry collection".

Over 80, still writing love poems on Facebook

“Cot co noi noi” (Literature Publishing House) is the “last collection of poems” - in his words - that Mr. Dung has just published. He thinks and mentions the “last collection of poems” with respect, love, and full of relief. This is understandable, when he is far from the age of “knowing his destiny”, he can still write poems, publish poems, even love poems properly, let alone a whole collection of poems, just a few poems are already worth celebrating.

"Good wine, much or little, does not make you drunk"

"The kiss is long or short, but the soul flies away."

Doctor Nguyen Huy Dung's poetry. Simple and friendly like his character. His hometown is Moc Thuong Dinh village (now Thanh Xuan, Hanoi), his mother's hometown is Nghe Tinh, but he was born and raised in Vinh, Nghe An. He taught for many years in Do Luong district after graduating. His parents' house is located at 132 Quang Trung street. His childhood and passionate youth were closely associated with Vinh city, so Professor - Doctor Huy Dung has many characteristics of a Nghe An native: eager to learn, enthusiastic, open-minded, and full of affection. He was born and raised in a famous revolutionary family, with martyrs such as his sister Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Nguyen Thi Quang Thai - the first wife of General Vo Nguyen Giap, his brother Nguyen Huy Tu, and his younger brother Nguyen Huy Duong.

Giáo sư - Bác sỹ Nguyễn Huy Dung giới thiệu một số tác phẩm với độc giả. Ảnh: Nguyên Thảo

Professor - Doctor Nguyen Huy Dung introduces some works to readers. Photo: Nguyen Thao

Professor Huy Dung is 86 years old but still spends time every day socializing through the Internet. He updates and receives new knowledge, still participates in many activities at the Ho Chi Minh City Writers Association, and still composes poetry. He shares short poems and verses with his Facebook friends. He accepts compliments and criticism calmly, politely and enthusiastically with real and virtual friends.

In the Southern region, when mentioning Professor - Doctor Nguyen Huy Dung, all internal medicine doctors know. In the eyes of colleagues and friends, Doctor - Poet Huy Dung is a revolutionary intellectual, a famous Professor, Doctor, Doctor in the field of Cardiology, but he is also a person with a heart full of love, full of compassion. Those qualities make him both do science and write poetry about the urges from the bottom of his heart, the burning desires of his heart. From the first collection of poems "Nature in my soul" - 2001, to the present collection "Cot co noi noi" - 2017; within 16 years, he has published 14 collections of poems. In the field of science and medical books, he has published more than 50 books. Just looking at his writing ability makes many colleagues admire him.

As a former member of the State Health Council, Deputy Director of Cho Ray Hospital, with the title of People's Physician, Second Class Independence Medal, but the most impressive thing about Doctor Huy Dung in the eyes of everyone is his modesty. He rarely talks about himself. Making fun of himself, Doctor Huy Dung wrote: "When he was young, he looked silly - When he was old, he looked funny". It feels like that funny person writes everything with poetic rhythm. Doctor Dung still attends regular activities at the Ho Chi Minh City Writers Association. He smiles and chats wittily with young people, both children and grandchildren.

Sweet poems about mother

What impressed me most in Dr. Huy Dung's poems were the verses about mothers. A mother from Nghe An gave birth to loyal children, ready to sacrifice themselves for the Fatherland. Huy Dung's mother is like many mothers in our country. Hiding her tears deep in her heart, she reserved her gentleness for life. In the very simple verses about mothers, he wrote: "Mother's soul/ now relies on the mountain wind to return", "Mother's mirror is brighter than the moonlight/ The moon is constantly restless, both when it rises and when it sets/ The moon is forever the moon. Even if you drain the Lam River/ No matter how much you drain, you cannot drain/ the pain of Mother's life".

“We must live and love life and people with all our heart. We must face pain, sadness, joy, and bitterness, and that is why the physician and poet Huy Dung wrote such heartbreaking verses,” writer Trieu Xuan commented.

Tác phẩm “Cốt lõi nỗi niềm”. Ảnh: Khôi Nguyên Thảo

The work “The core of feelings”. Photo: Khoi Nguyen Thao

Asked why he had been in medicine all his life but had a deep love for poetry, why did he “marry” two seemingly distant fields? Mr. Dung smiled and said, medicine and poetry are close to each other, one saves people with medicine and medical skills, the other saves people’s souls with romance, sharing, and striving for Beauty. In Mr. Dung’s poems, he also shared about this many times:

“Poetry of conscience saves people/ Dispels sadness, warms lonely hearts/ Treasures the magic, how can it be lacking/ Embraces both couples and the whole world”.

“Young people seek love poems/ Old people question their hearts with poetry.”

The keeper of many valuable documents

Doctor Nguyen Huy Dung is the younger brother of martyr Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Nguyen Thi Quang Thai - the first wife of General Vo Nguyen Giap. He was also the person who took care of Uncle Ho's health during the last stages of his life. Therefore, he has a "treasure trove" of precious documents full of sentiment.

One of the sacred memories for Mr. Dung is the last days of the respected Uncle Ho. The person he was cared for during his final days. The first time meeting Uncle Ho was an unforgettable impression for Dr. Huy Dung. When looking at the doctor's face, Uncle Ho smiled and said: "Exactly the same". He immediately recognized the similarities between his younger brother and Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. Just like the time Le Nguyen Hong Minh (daughter of Ms. Minh Khai and Mr. Le Hong Phong) went to the North for work but did not provide all the necessary documents, the guard brought her to see Uncle Ho, Uncle also said: "Exactly the same". Uncle Ho's memory made everyone who knew him admire.

Professor Huy Dung often reminds his children and grandchildren: "Remember to remind your father about the death anniversary of Uncle Thai (Mrs. Quang Thai - General Vo Nguyen Giap's wife). Uncle Van (the General's nickname) has passed away, Hong Anh (Mrs. Quang Thai's daughter) has also passed away, I'm afraid there will be no one to hold the death anniversary for Uncle Thai."

Mr. Dung's father went to the South to witness the execution of his eldest daughter, Minh Khai. He was so sad that he fell ill and died nine months later. Ms. Quang Thai mourned her father for three days before being taken to Hanoi, tortured, and imprisoned in Hoa Lo prison. In Hoa Lo, she still despised death, holding her head high and writing poetry. The cell holding her still bears the mark of the brave woman's verses: "Determined to sacrifice, regardless of death/ Strive with all my heart, regardless of my head falling...". When she was dying in the cell, her pain multiplied many times over, when she asked her mother: "Where is Huy Duong?", she learned that her younger brother, whom she had led in the activities, had also died early.

Giáo sư - Bác sỹ Nguyễn Huy Dung vẫn miệt mài say mê nghiên cứu cho ra đời những tập thơ mới. Ảnh: Khôi Nguyên Thảo

Professor - Doctor Nguyen Huy Dung is still passionately devoted to research. Photo: Khoi Nguyen Thao

“When he was still healthy, every year on the anniversary of Quang Thai’s death, Van and I went to visit her grave. Van had a very special brotherly affection for me. When I was doing research in Russia, he once went on a business trip. When he returned, I took him to the airport in the cold rain. He told me: “Dung, go home. Don’t take me to the airport where it’s cold.” I told him something that made me choke up: “I took you to the airport because, as I always thought, if Thai were still alive, she would also take you to the airport!” - Mr. Dung recounted his affectionate memories with Van - General Vo Nguyen Giap.

I still love to look at Mr. Dung's gentle, bright smile and ask myself how he can keep that bright smile after so many years of going through so much pain. The pain of a brother and sister in a family of 4 martyrs, whose father died because of too much grief over the tragic death of his eldest daughter Minh Khai. And not only did he overcome it, he lived with the profession of saving people and spent the eighties of his life writing sweet love poems.

Writer Trieu Xuan: “In real life, Huy Dung’s character is exactly the same as in his poems! He lived honestly, devoted to life, to people, devoted to his ideals and career. He was a filial son, a younger brother who was always worthy of his sisters, brothers, and family traditions. The great examples he followed were Uncle Ho and his brother-in-law, General Vo Nguyen Giap. His greatest pride was the Fatherland of Vietnam, the heroic and indomitable Vietnamese people, who fought bravely and sacrificed several generations to gain independence, freedom, and unity… In his career as a physician and a professor of medicine, he was awarded the noble title of People’s Physician by the State. The Second Class Independence Medal… Throughout his life, he devoted himself to treating and saving people, contributing to training thousands of physicians to continue his career.

At 86 years old, his voice is always clear and his debates are still as passionate as when he was young. Every day, he still spends two or three hours sitting in front of the computer composing - typing directly on the keyboard, proficient in using the Internet, fluent in French, reading newspapers, reading domestic and international literary and artistic works. I think, even in this aspect, he is truly a rare person!

Khoi Nguyen Thao