Overcoming adversity, poet Truong Quang Thu created a 'miracle'.

From "Spring Love"

Regarding Tam Tien hamlet,Quynh Lap commune(Hoang Mai town), we visited the home of Mr. Truong Quang Thu (born in 1951) while he was standing and writing poetry beside an altar. His figure was thin and frail, his posture unsteady, his eyes fixed on the laptop screen on the altar, his hands constantly typing…

With visitors arriving, Mr. Thu paused his work and shared: "This morning, the weather turned chilly, and a feeling of wistfulness and nostalgia suddenly came over me. I'm trying to record these emotions at this rather special moment."

According to poet Truong Quang Thu, much of his life was a journey of overcoming adversity and a harsh fate. Just over 20 years old, the young man from the coastal village of Quynh Lap was hit by shrapnel from an American bomb dropped on his village's fields, leading to polyarthritis. His legs gradually atrophied, his spine became curved and misaligned, and he was confined to bed.

After years of treatment, his health improved slightly; he could move around the house, but with great difficulty, and he completely lost the ability to work. It was a time of sadness and disappointment; at times, he thought he had become disabled, that life had lost all meaning.

Fortunately, during the darkest years of his life, his "muse" found her and became his confidante. Poetry, to some extent, soothed his pain and comforted the melancholy feelings of this unfortunate young man.adversity.

Mr. Thu always kept a pen and paper in his jacket pocket. Whenever inspiration struck, he would quickly jot down a poem. Each time he wrote a poem, he would submit it to a newspaper, earning royalties to help cover his family's living expenses and bring himself a little joy.

Due to leg deformities and spinal misalignment, he has to stand or lie down while writing poetry, sometimes standing continuously for 5 hours to complete a single poem. To date, he has published three poetry collections: "Moon Love," "Walking Fruit Tray," and "Cat Beauty Queen." "Walking Fruit Tray" was awarded the Ho Xuan Huong Literature and Art Prize by the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee in 2005. His fourth collection, "Spring Love," is currently at the printing house and is expected to be published in the next few months.

It is noteworthy that despite his unfortunate fate and physical suffering, Truong Quang Thu never spoke of his personal losses or disadvantages in his works. On the contrary, he always focused on the positive aspects of family life and society with pure emotions, expressing optimism and a love for life.

This explains why his poem "Spring Love," set to music by composer Ho Huu Thoi in 1998, was voted one of the 100 best songs about spring of the 20th century. Let's enjoy the evocative verses of this famous poem:The gentle scent of fragrance / Whispered in the wind / The sound of buds breaking open / Heavy in the trees / The sound of spring somewhere / My heart flutters / As if there's a promise / I'll search for it all my life…"

Currently, Mr. Truong Quang Thu is a member of the Nghe An Union of Literature and Arts Associations, Deputy Chairman of the Song Mai Arts Club, and has been awarded the Commemorative Medal for the Cause of Literature and Arts by the Vietnam Union of Literature and Arts Associations, along with many awards from newspapers and magazines.

Towards the title "Learning Never Ends"

If his "muse" soothed his emotional pain and helped Mr. Truong Quang Thu recover, then Mrs. Tran Thi Ni (1954) was his "pillar of support" to continue his journey through life. That year, after being transferred from Viet Duc Hospital (Hanoi) to Ha Bac Traditional Medicine Hospital for treatment, the young man from Nghe An coincidentally met a girl from Bac Giang who was visiting a friend.

Feeling sorry for the young man who was disabled, the girl approached him, talked to him, and comforted him. They became close, often sharing their feelings, and love blossomed before they knew it. The girl decided to disregard all the advice from her family and friends to follow the call of love and return home.Nghe An provinceTo become the wife of a disabled man.

After getting married (in 1977), the young couple had a separate house built for them by their parents in Quynh Lap. Mrs. Ni gave birth to three sons, making their already difficult life even harder. As for Mr. Thu, although the hospital concluded he was permanently incapacitated, he couldn't bear to see his wife struggling to make ends meet alone, so he decided to work to ease her burden.

So he started with light tasks like watering vegetables, weeding, tending the beds, cooking, and taking care of the children. In his free time, he would write poetry and submit it to newspapers.

Despite illness, limited health, and difficult economic circumstances, Mr. Truong Quang Thu always encouraged his wife to strive to raise their children and provide them with a good education. In those days, in Quynh Lap, most children dropped out of school to work at sea, supplementing the family's labor force.

Mr. Thu truly had a "far-sighted vision" when he sent his children to high school, and then they successively passed the entrance exams to universities. His eldest son, Truong Quang Van (born in 1978), is currently the Principal of Quynh Lien Commune Secondary School; his second son, Truong Quang Chuong (born in 1981), is a lecturer at the Da Lat Army Academy; and his youngest son, Truong Quang Phuong (born in 1983), is an aquaculture engineer currently working in Ha Tinh City.

Upholding traditionsstudiousOf the family members, Mr. Thu's three grandchildren are currently studying at Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Da Nang University of Architecture, and the People's Security Academy.

“I always encourage my children and grandchildren in the family and village to study hard to contribute to changing lives and making many contributions to society, so I am trusted and respected by everyone. Recently, I was awarded the title “Learning Never Ends” by the Provincial Association for the Promotion of Learning, which is an encouragement for me to continue striving,” Mr. Thu shared.

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“Mr. Truong Quang Thu is severely disabled and unable to work, but he is always determined to overcome his circumstances to build a better life and raise his children to be successful. For many years, Mr. Thu's family has consistently been recognized as an exemplary family dedicated to education, receiving commendations from superiors and becoming a shining example for the community.”

Mr. Vuong Dai Tuong – Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Quynh Lap Commune