About the "harvest" of the Party sympathy class in poetry by author Phan Van Tu

The case of the two poems: "The Bridge Connecting the Shores of Joy" (set to music, becoming a song that has endured through the years), "Thinking about the Party" were written in two different periods but both left deep impressions in the hearts of readers.

In 1971, at the age of 31, young Phan Van Tu was moved by the troop of soldiers - Youth Volunteers going under the rain of bombs and bullets to build bridges connecting the traffic arteries from North to South, he wrote the song "Bridge connecting the banks of joy", on the background of the love of a young couple with memories of the dating bridge, the sound of the flute... expressing the great desire for love and life of an entire nation.

Poet Phan Van Tu (3rd from right) and artists on a field trip. Photo courtesy

In 1987, at the age of nearly 50, the age of 50, knowing one's destiny, during a political study session at Tran Phu Party School for cadres and reporters of newspapers and radio stations, inspired by the topic assigned by the organizing committee to the students "Comrade, please write your thoughts about the Party?", Phan Van Tu submitted his essay with the poem "Thinking about the Party". This poem, according to journalist Hoai Thung - Secretary of the Party Committee of the Literature and Arts Department of Nghe An Radio and Television at that time, was awarded an excellent prize.

There have been hundreds, thousands of poems and songs written about the Party, but the poem "Thinking about the Party" by Phan Van Tu, right from its inception, went beyond the scope of a "recapitulation", becoming a poem solemnly printed in central and local newspapers.

There are many ways of thinking about the Party of cadres, party members, and people, but Phan Van Tu's way of thinking about the Party through the poem is a new perspective, both bold and profound, touching the human ego, having the effect of awakening the passion, morality and qualities of each party member and non-party member. The whole poem is the lingering anxiety of a writer and artist before the reality of life where phenomena are emerging that degrade the Party's morality, culture, and civilization; it is an affirmation of the steadfast belief in the Party and in Uncle Ho.

Some people believe that, by writing such heartfelt verses, Phan Van Tu has drawn the image of the Party like a photograph taken against the light, rough, angular, and rugged but very bold. Putting the poem in the context of the early years of the renovation period initiated and led by our Party, we can see the awakening and predictive value of poetry. From a seemingly dry topic, under the talented and courageous pen of Phan Van Tu, it has become a touching work of poetry.

Thinking about the Party

I have two hairs on my head but am not a party member yet.

But I already have the qualities of a party member.

From the first National Day in mother's arms

I recognize the color of the Party flag in front of the communal house yard.

I had long years of fighting along Truong Son.

The rainy season, the dry season and malaria

There was a time when I faced death.

I still believe that the Party is by my side,

I have teammates who have been on stretchers.

Still begging to return to the front

There are teammates standing at the bunker door taking bullets.

Blood stained my shirt red.

They no longer return to live among people.

Happy in worry until the day of gray hair

They give us back our faith and dreams.

How can we live differently from faith?

When the solemn music begins

Someone stood with his head bowed solemnly in silence.

But in the heart still full of calculations

Hands in pocket counting money

I wish I was like the people around me

Although lacking but peaceful in heart

Even though sometimes I get annoyed, I still believe in the Party.

The path Uncle Ho gave has no forks or three-way intersections.

I have two hairs on my head but am not a party member.

Maybe one day I will be in the Party ranks.

Maybe I stand by the road contemplating

But the Party is always in me.

Poet, journalistPhan Van Tu