The poet of "A Woman's Drop"
In the glittering world of poetry, there are those who come to poetry not to find a place, but because they cannot bear not writing! They write as a way of breathing, as a reflex of the heart. Nguyen Thi Thanh Yen is one such author. She enters poetry barefoot and with the self-respect of a woman who knows how to listen to her inner self; there, joy and scars, excitement and restraint, longing and sobriety, unintentionally intertwine…
Le Trang ButTechnique:Hong ToaiOctober 23, 2025
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In the glittering world of poetry, there are those who come to poetry not to find a place, but because they cannot bear not writing! They write as a way of breathing, as a reflex of the heart. Nguyen Thi Thanh Yen is one such author. She enters poetry barefoot and with the self-respect of a woman who knows how to listen to her inner self; there, joy and scars, excitement and restraint, longing and sobriety, unintentionally intertwine…
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Nguyen Thi Thanh Yen has been a familiar and influential figure in Vietnamese poetry on Facebook for nearly 20 years, yet it wasn't until 2021 that she released her first poetry collection, "Drops of Womanhood," published by the Vietnam Writers Association Publishing House. She approached poetry naturally and simply, like the way one converses with oneself. She has never considered herself a "poet," nor does she view writing as a profession. But for her, each word is a "beautiful moment"—a place where women's emotions are illuminated, elevated, and freed.Last night, tears of womanhood fell / This morning, dew still clings to my eyelids / The brown sparrows behind the house chirp loudly / What joy do they have that makes them sing so loudly?(Last night, a woman's tears fell).
Literary criticPham Xuan Nguyen– the person who wrote the preface to the poetry collection selected the poem."Last night, a woman's tears fell."to serve as an introduction, because, according to him, that is"A beautiful poem, full of feminine joy and pain, falling like drops of poetry by Nguyen Thi Thanh Yen." "The sweet and bitter tears of a woman who has passed through her youth, beauty, and love."
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The 73 poems in the collection are 73 ballads of the woman within her. Nguyen Thi Thanh Yen writes extensively about love, the scars of marriage, and the plight of women. But instead of lamenting or complaining,"A woman's drop"It is a way of seeing deeply and understanding:"My woman and your woman are alike only because they are like betel nut containers. We remain incomplete, yet our colors remain unchanged. You, so complete, know nothing of pain."(My woman, your woman). There, the reader finds a harmony between forbearance and pride, between vulnerability and strength, between the yearning to be loved and the ability to save oneself from loneliness.
Despite being an economics graduate and having studied mathematics, Nguyen Thi Thanh Yen chose poetry as her spiritual anchor. She admits to having "gone off track in life," but it is precisely this "off track" that led to poetry coming to her as if by destiny. Each poem is a truthful slice of a woman's life – where wife, mother, and lover coexist in a multifaceted form, both contradictory and overflowing with love.
In the poetic world of Nguyen Thi Thanh Yen, love is not just an emotion but also a matter of character. She is not afraid of being misunderstood by others, because for her, love is a way of existing."Don't try to understand what I'm doing, just love me, that's enough / This morning, I listen quietly to the season breathing / It seems you're very close."(Don't try to understand what I'm doing). These lines of poetry are like a soft sigh, but hidden within them is the experience of a woman who has gone through heartbreak.
Journalist Le Nhung – an editor specializing in arts and culture for Thai Nguyen Newspaper, Radio, and Television, and a close friend – exclaimed:"Reading 'A Woman's Drop,' I recognized in it a strong feminine spirit, one that doesn't cower within stereotypes, unafraid of judgment. She dares to speak, dares to admit, dares to love, and dares to live."Indeed, Nguyen Thi Thanh Yen writes as if she is throwing open the door to her inner self:“You – a woman who is promiscuous and petty / You – a woman with a heart of wood / You – a woman who has been married before…”– A sincere confession and also a declaration of freedom.
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Nguyen Thi Thanh Yen dislikes crowds. She prefers sitting alone in a small balcony corner or a quiet café, savoring each sip and questioning herself with poetry. She writes habitually."Every time a poem comes out, I usually forget it immediately, as if it no longer belongs to me."Yet, poetry is enough to express the passion she possesses, and it perfectly complements the nurturing she has cultivated over the years with its 24 letters, resulting in "A Woman's Drop," which literary critic Pham Xuan Nguyen calls "The Drop of Woman.""A subtle feminist sensibility within the flow of contemporary literature"Because "A Woman's Drop" not only speaks of love, but also affirms the position of the modern woman: independent, level-headed, knowing how to love and when to stop. Poetry is a "safe haven" for her to weather the storms, a way for her to dialogue with herself, and then realize that happiness is not something distant, but rather a haven within her soul.
The poet Ngo Duc Hanh once called "A Woman's Drop" "Swallow's Drop," because in every word, he clearly saw "humanity." She dared to expose her feminine self, dared to speak even of the most intimate things that few dared to say, but in that exposure, there was no ostentation, but a spirit of utmost honesty.I want to learn one thing from you: You are a woman, my dear. I know one thing that's not surprising: Because I love you, I crave sourness.(Regarding Thi Mau). It's a perspective that is both witty and insightful, both instinctive and humane."
In that same collection of poems, one sees a very different Nguyen Thi Thanh Yen – a woman of tolerance and forgiveness. When writing about the relationship between a stepmother and her stepchild, she doesn't choose the harshness of prejudice but opens up a compassionate heart:"I dare not claim to be a good person / I know that for generations, rice cakes have had no bones / Yet before my child, I only feel love / And the grace of life has given me another child without the burden of carrying one."Love in her poetry is not just passion, but a journey of reconciliation, a way for a woman to move from instinct to selflessness, from longing to peace.
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The poet Nguyen Trong Tao was startled when he read her poems:"Reading Nguyen Thi Thanh Yen's poetry, you will no longer think about 'old poetry versus new poetry,' 'good poetry or not poetry,' but only see a complex heart in its clarity and a serene mind in its instability. You will be overthrown from the frivolous orders you yourself have created."
And indeed, "A Woman's Drop" is a collection of poems about "just enough." Just enough romance to intoxicate, just enough realism to sober up, just enough giving and just enough receiving, so that the ultimate value of a woman is to be protected, to be sheltered by her love, because when one knows enough, beautiful verses will easily spring forth.The insignificant things are you, the big things are you too / I just need peace and quiet at home every evening / The world outside has its ups and downs / I am insignificant before the storms of life(Small).
In real life, Nguyen Thi Thanh Yen is a modern woman, a businesswoman with an elegant appearance and confident demeanor. But it is poetry that balances her, giving her vulnerable side a refuge, allowing her to cry, laugh, and love without fear of judgment. She doesn't seek fame or affiliate herself to associations. For her, writing is simply a way to preserve the warmth of the past. And so, her poetry collection...Woman's Drop– The gifts from family, friends, and even the man who loved her, proved that, sometimes, the most precious thing in a writer's life is not fame, but empathy."The girl from Nghe An is gentle, but when she loves, her passion is like fire."
Photos in the article:NVCC
