'The ray of light' of the father and son poets

Poet Ngo Thanh Van from Gia Lai and her adoptive father, Mr. Le Thuan Nghia, from Germany came to Hanoi to launch their two poetry collections 'Van Khong' and 'Vet Thieu Quang'.

Poet Ngo Thanh Van (right) and author Le Thuan Nghia at the launching ceremony of two poetry collections by father and son - Photo: T.DIEU

Launch of two poetry collections "Vet thieu quang" by Le Thuan Nghia and Van Khong by poet Ngo Thanh Van (published by the Writers Association Publishing House) held at the headquarters of the Vietnam Writers Association on September 14.

The two collections of poems each have 66 poems. And like an echo of the father and son, both collections of poems have a poem with the same name, which is also the name of the collection of poems by the father, Mr. Le Thuan Nghia: Vet thieu quang.

The Light of the Dawn by Le Thuan Nghia opened the father's poetry collection, and Ngo Thanh Van's Vet Thieu Quang was also chosen to end his son's poetry collection Van Khong , creating a unique circle of poetry.

The "silently shining" verses

If Ngo Thanh Van is known in the literary world and among poetry lovers with 5 poetry collections, 2 short story collections and 2 essay collections, many poetry awards, and active participation in literary and artistic associations, then Le Thuan Nghia is a new name.

Born in 1959 in Quang Binh , currently living and working in Hamburg (Germany), he is a physician and director of the UNESCO Center for Applied Research in Community Health Care in Vietnam.

The unique combination of a poet's soul in a physician gives Le Thuan Nghia's poetry its own voice.

According to writer Dang Than, Le Thuan Nghia did not try to build a temple of words but let the words flow naturally like air and breath.

Poet Nguyen Quang Thieu - Chairman of the Vietnam Writers Association, feels that Le Thuan Nghia's poetry is distilled from a life full of experiences and thoughts.

In particular, Mr. Thieu was impressed by the fact that Le Thuan Nghia had extremely surprising and excellent verses, a kind of quiet brilliance.

Meanwhile, Ngo Thanh Van’s poetry reminded Mr. Thieu of a trembling beauty. Father and daughter published a collection of poems at the same time with the intention of creating a common poetic space, but in reality, they were two very separate paths.

If Le Thuan Nghia's poetry shows a person who has experienced storms and cherished thoughtful verses, Ngo Thanh Van's poetry opens up a vast, youthful, free, and endless sky.

Poetry collections Vet Thieu Quang and Van Khong by father and son Le Thuan Nghia - Ngo Thanh Van - Photo: T.DIEU

Through hardships, still full of faith in life

According to poet Thien Son, Ngo Thanh Van's poems are written in a natural and delicate way. In the collection Van Khong, she still maintains the innocent, delicate, and pure style of her previous collections of poems, but in the structure and language of this new collection, there has been a transformation.

There are some poems by Ngo Thanh Van that Thien Son really appreciates, poems that reach mastery in language, words that "have spirit".

Critic Do Anh Vu said the main tone in the poetry collection Van Khong is the return to one's heart, talking and expressing to oneself.

He felt from Ngo Thanh Van’s poetry the image of a woman who had gone through many hardships and sorrows but had not lost her faith and love for life. Her poetry was still like a graceful cloud, reaching towards a free, light-filled sky.

And no matter what form of writing, Ngo Thanh Van's poems are always full of rhyme and musicality. Poet Do Anh Vu chose the poem "Roi Anh Cung Nhu May Troi Ngan" from the collection " Van Khong" to set to music. He sang the song right at the poetry collection's launch.

BIRD OF PARADISE

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vet-thieu-quang-cua-hai-cha-con-nha-tho-20250914202829727.htm