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Try sketching the poet Nguyen Hung through "Poetry Sketches".

Bui Sy Hoa • September 16, 2024 17:36

Reading "Poetic Sketches" (81 literary portraits) by poet Nguyen Hung, one first senses his deep respect and affection for poets, writers, literary critics, musicians, and others.

Poet Nguyen Hung has just published a valuable book titled "Sketches of Poetry" (81 literary portraits).^(*)More than half of the portraits are of writers and musicians in military uniform. First and foremost, this reflects the poet's deep respect and affection for the poets, writers, literary critics, and musicians who are the specific "portraits" in the book. Although these portraits are merely "quick sketches," highlighting the unique and distinctive features of each individual is a challenge not easily overcome, requiring genuine talent and moments of true inspiration.

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...The portrait of Nguyen Hung emerges as a sincere and trustworthy poet; possessing a profound and thorough reading and understanding; a kindred spirit, serene and contemplative; and a diverse and captivating writing style…

Bui Sy Hoa

In reality, to "quickly paint" and leave a lasting impression of a literary portrait, Nguyen Hung must grasp the essence, soul, and unique characteristics of the subject. This means a process of reading, absorbing, analyzing, and selecting... meaning it cannot be done quickly in practice; in fact, it requires meticulous effort and real labor. A poet may be "inspired" by a single idea, a single line, or even a whole poem, but it is certainly the result of a long, simmering process beforehand. Of course, poets grasp the essence of their subjects differently, from different angles, at different speeds, and with varying degrees of success. This depends on many factors, both subjective and objective, as we know.

Certainly, poet Nguyên Hùng must have read the portrait poems of Xuân Sách, Trần Nhương, and many other impressive portrait poems, such as when Nguyễn Khoa Điềm "painted" Nguyên Hồng, when Thạch Quỳ "painted" Nguyễn Trọng Tạo and Hoàng Cát, when Nguyễn Ngọc Phú "painted" Trần Vàng Sao... for example, in order to choose his own unique way of "painting" portraits, distinct from others.

On this common highway, Nguyen Hung utilizes the "names" of prominent/timeless works, notable poems, prose, song lyrics, and personal stories of his "subjects" as detailed frameworks for his portrait sketches. The poet "breathes" new space and environment into familiar labels, making them vibrant and radiant in a new perception. Therefore, everything that seemed familiar, seemingly rigid and inflexible, is rearranged by the poet, creating new connections and adding new, unique meanings according to his own perspective, thus creating a fresh and captivating "field of attraction."

That is "Born inon the other side of the Duong RiverPoetic love flies without stopping at the banks of the Red River.Kieu LoanWith so much joy, I still set out on my journey to find it.wild flower leaves”(Hoang Cam); “Flameexaminecosmic songPeople joyfully call upon the earth to bloom with flowers in accordance with their will…” (Huy Cận); “The Perfume River knowsflow with the rhymeA talented man captivated by two pairs of eyes.” (Truong Nam Huong); “Who would have thought that later...Giát marketOld Khung hurried back to his friend.reeds Eulogyfor a time that has just passed…” (Nguyen Minh Chau)… That’s when “drawing” Nguyen TruongWriting quietly while the literary world signals a storm.Nguyên Hùng proved this with a sentence that had startled many readers and writers in the story about the character Dao Dua:Losing to the people means survival, winning against the people means loss.”Or take the case of An Thuyên, a song that many people remember."break the poem in half, chop the poem in two." in popular songAnchoring at the hometown harbor.

"Waves ripple, sand is calm at night"
Waves do not come from the silver sea.
Waves unite poetry and music.
"The pink waves of your lips and eyes"

Poem by: Bui Sy Hoa

There are quick brushstrokes that lack the necessary "form," but poet Nguyen Hung knows how to "draw" in a way that, though sketchy, is carefully refined and polished, resulting in a noticeable effect. For example, when "drawing" a portrait of Hoai Vu, the poet begins with...He's at the head of the river, she's at the end.The green stream nurtures the pink dream…", then draw them one by oneVam Co Dong, Walking amidst the scent of melaleuca trees, Bidding farewell to the sunset....towards the end of the poem, the poet suddenly repeats the line "He's at the head of the river, she's at the end." like a lingering, stirring finale. Or with Thanh Tung, even though it has already been mentioned.The Red Flower SeasonAnd with many other distinctive features, Nguyen Hung still tries to cling to and further clarify the poet from the land of flamboyant flowers and the sound of ship horns, through a poem that bears both the mark of Thanh Tung and the mark of his kindred spirit, Nguyen Hung.Remember one"Passionate youth"!

Some portraits tell the poignant story of the subject's own life.Inbomb craterHavesky"(Lam Thi My Da), written by Nguyen Hung in a truthful and skillful manner."Let the clouds drift with the wind....who would have thought/Poetry knows no time.whose name I've forgotten now / Friends can't even remember my name /Mother and childSharing the same sorrow for their father"There's also a humorous portrait style."There was a time when Ngoc Tu and her sister lived together at a leisurely pace…in short essays/Until the day of Huong Ngan's marriage proposal/They hastily submitted several written petitions.report” (Le Thieu Nhon) or “Freelance journalism doesn't earn enough money for a hair transplant.” (Van Cong Hung) or “Poetry, literature, painting, translation… I immerse myself in them / My beard is neglected, my love life is too lazy to visit."(Nguyen Quang Thieu). Again, there are portraits "extracted" from the names of the poets themselves."IfThat day in Yen TrungMy mother didn't give birth to me / The literary village is now missing a distinctive feature.springdayfestival” (Ngo Xuan Hoi) or “Who haspowerWell, that's right!/Give a lot, receive a lot too."(Tran Chan Uy)..."

Often, after quick sketches like the ones above, if the portrait doesn't quite capture the soul and spirit you'd hoped for, Nguyen Hung boldly adds his own creative touches. This is exemplified by the portrait of Vuong Trong, with two concluding lines that reveal a significant part of his "life and career":From the cradle, I've been captivated by Kieu, my heart forever yearning for her love.”; portrait of Nguyen Trong Tao “Love is like a trench/Bullets fall, on either side… you”; portrait of Nguyen Quang Sang “He's Nam Sang - the older brother / He writes quickly but drinks leisurely / No hurry!”

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For each poetic/literary style and personality type, Nguyen Hung always chooses the right and most suitable poetic form, based on an indelible impression of one or more specific or excellent poems.

Bui Sy Hoa

For each poetic/literary style and personality type, Nguyen Hung always chooses the right and most suitable poetic form, based on an indelible impression of one or more specific or excellent poems. For example, the poem about Nguyen Binh, with each stanza consisting of four lines and seven syllables, is concise and clearly reflects the style of the famous poem.She picked apricots.Regarding Huy Cận's elegant lục bát poetry, it evokes memories of the poem...Trang GiangRegarding Pham Tien Duat's free and unrestrained style, it brings to mind the poem...The squad of vehicles without windshieldsRegarding Xuan Quynh's five-word poems, they are both traditional and modern, profound, like the way her poems are written.Waves, Boats, and the SeaIt arrives and remains in the hearts of readers; about Nguyen Binh Phuong, a free-spirited, unconventional writer who has made a striking and unique impression on the literary scene for a long time.

More notably, there are some exceptionally skillful sketches that create remarkable drawings, such as when Nguyen Hung wrote about Y Nhi.Time is silent.sitting knittingmy fateRegarding Tran NhuongCountry WindtogetherMarch windThe breeze has been blowing since the time of the soldiers, keeping them cool through peacetime.Regarding JiangnanHe alone led the entire spring season to heaven.Regarding Le LuuRiverbed wavesThe boat capsizes in the evening / Heroes mingle with the foam and drift away together.Regarding Tran Dang KhoaThe prodigy is now an official / Still calling each other "brother" and "uncle"...”

Clearly, Nguyen Hung's brushstrokes don't confine themselves to one method, one style, one material, or one color palette, but constantly evolve, adapting the perspective, intensity, and lightness to create impressive portraits. From this, the author believes that after quickly sketching while still vividly capturing the unique characteristics of each "subject," Nguyen Hung's own portrait gradually emerges in the minds of many writers and readers. It is a sincere and trustworthy poet; a profound and thorough readership and understanding; a kindred spirit, deeply reflective; and a diverse and captivating brushwork…

Ultimately, Nguyên Hùng only knew how to care for, nurture, and "beautify" his friends; he never... painted a portrait of himself. To celebrate his new book, I humbly offer this "sketch" of Nguyên Hùng's portrait based on a famous line from his poetry and song:

Waves ripple, the sand is calm at night.

Waves do not come from the silver sea.

Waves unite poetry and music.

The pink waves on your lips and eyes.

Hanoi after Typhoon Yagi, September 2024

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(*) Vietnam Writers Association Publishing House - 2024.