Le Thai Son's whispered song

That rural village is imprinted in his poetry as a simple yet enduring witness: Chùa Market, Cầu Well, Bùng River, Hai Vai Cliff… – familiar names that have become coordinates of memory, affection, and reflections on the human condition. In his book "Approaching Contemporary Poetry," critic Hà Quảng bestowed kind words upon the poet Lê Thái Sơn:“Son’s poetry doesn’t belong to the category of overly detailed language, chaotic imagery, or abstract philosophy within the current mainstream. His poetry is as genuine as if squeezed from the heart, from the depths of his soul…”Perhaps that's why readers easily recognize a trustworthy voice in Le Thai Son's poetry: not noisy, not pretentious, not overly elaborate in poetic technique, but quiet and sincere, like the way a countryman confides about his life.My family drinks water from the Cau well / We carry it in earthen baskets and scoop it with buckets made of palm leaves.(Cau Well)

Reading Lê Thái Sơn's poetry, readers will find it quite interesting because of its strong folk elements. His life experience and immersion in the folk culture of Nghệ An province have made his poetry truly the poetry of a Nghệ An native. Poet Nguyễn Trọng Tạo – a fellow townsman, classmate, and close friend of Lê Thái Sơn – affirmed this in his preface to the poetry collection "Green January":"I see a rich and vibrant sense of rural life within you. Almost every emotional thread you possess is tied to your village, and just a slight touch of one of those threads is enough to make the poetic instrument within you resonate with melodies full of compassion."Those melodies, though easily stirred, contain the author's unspoken songs:Black coat. And black hat and scarf / Adding black to the tears in my eyes, locking a door for a lifetime.(Multifaceted).

In stark contrast to his usual carefree demeanor, Lê Thái Sơn's poetry reflects his empathy for the poor and downtrodden. It portrays a beggar child, a rickshaw driver, a gravedigger, a bricklayer, a laborer, and even a prisoner… His fellow writers readily call him "the poet of the poor." This is a unique, unspoken song of Lê Thái Sơn in a world where money relentlessly manipulates the world. His poem, "A Humorous Poem for a Rickshaw Driver," is warm like a pat on the shoulder, a cheerful smile that dispels weariness:"I know the roads like the back of my hand / I can navigate every alley and lane with my eyes closed / I can sleep with my ears perked up / Listening to the whistles of the trains arriving at the station."

In the realm of children's poetry, Le Thai Son chooses a unique path, writing for children with special circumstances or those placed outside the safe path of life. "Homeland" is a poem brimming with the heartfelt emotions of an illegitimate grandchild who has never been to their paternal home:I only know my paternal hometown through my father's words.And the two lines of poetry in the poem"In the seasons of white frangipani flowers, even the sound of the wooden bell seems fragrant."His work soared to the skies on Vietnam Poetry Day in 2003, and twenty years later, it continues to be displayed on the Poetry Street in Thang Long Imperial Citadel. Perhaps it is because there, one can sense a certain fragrance: the fragrance of kindness, the fragrance of the temple bells of yesteryear, the fragrance of tolerance that his poetry has distilled throughout its journey.

During his lifetime, poet Lê Thái Sơn lived a gentle and kind life, wholeheartedly devoted to his friends. From 1997 to 2005, when he was chairman of the Nghe An Association of Literature and Arts, his office was always open, welcoming the joys of friendship and poetry. He didn't discriminate against anyone who came to him – old or young, rich or poor, from the lowlands or the mountains, city dwellers or country folk, leaders or employees – as long as they shared a passion for poetry. Many young writers later gained recognition from these "literary discussions." And there, this seemingly rugged man would reappear as a refined, rustic "old farmer of words."