Looking back at the poetic journey of Da Nang

* If you could give a general assessment of the 50-year journey of Da Nang poetry, what would you be most impressed with?

- The most outstanding thing that we can be proud of is that in the past 50 years of poetry, generations of poets in Da Nang have many good works, with literary value, contributing to the appearance of modern literature of our country. Continuing the literary tradition of the land of "Five Phoenixes Flying Together" Quang Nam - Da Nang from the generation of poets of the mandarinate such as patriot Pham Phu Thu, Ha Dinh Nguyen Thuat, Phan Chau Trinh, Huynh Thuc Khang, Tran Quy Cap, Tran Cao Van..., poets before 1945 Khuong Huu Dung, Phan Khoi, Hang Phuong, Pham Hau... to poets in the resistance war against the French Hoang Chau Ky, Vo Quang, Trinh Duong...

In the past 50 years, in Da Nang, poets have appeared who have affirmed their names, with many works recognized by readers such as Luu Trung Duong, Dong Trinh, Thanh Que, Ngan Vinh, Bui Cong Minh, Tan Hoai Da Vu... The generation of poets before 1975 and many poets after 1975 are known to readers such as Nguyen Nha Tien, Nguyen Dong Nhat, Bui Xuan, Tran Tuan, Nguyen Kim Huy, Nguyen Nho Khiem, Ho Si Binh, Mai Huu Phuoc, Dinh Thi Nhu Thuy, Phan Hoang Phuong... and many young authors are making efforts to compose and shape their own poetic style...

The works of Da Nang poets have contributed to portraying the poetic appearance of the city over the past 50 years in a rich and diverse manner, both in terms of subject matter, content and writing style, and efforts to create the art of language. This is a vivid evidence of the passion for literature, the love of poetry and the constant efforts on the path of literary creation in general and poetry in particular of Da Nang authors.

* After half a century, how do you feel about Da Nang today among poets across the country?

- Da Nang has always been a land that inspires great inspiration for friends in the poetry community across the country. Through the poetry collection "Spring Da Nang" (Da Nang Publishing House, 2025) selected by Non Nuoc Magazine from poems by 58 authors inside and outside the city about Da Nang, it can be seen that each person has different themes and artistic expressions, but when writing about Da Nang, the authors all have deep feelings for the city, for the land and people of Da Nang, a passionate love, pride and genuine passion for the beauty of the landscape and the soul of the people of Da Nang, both in history, the past and in present life.

Through poetry, the authors give Da Nang sincere praise and trust in a bright future. And also through those works, readers can also receive the beauty and depth of the human soul when coming to Da Nang, attached to Da Nang, and perhaps above all, admiration and deep gratitude.

* According to you, what is the forecast for the main features of creative activities in 2025?

- 2025 is the year when the country has many important historical events, the most prominent and important of which is the 50th anniversary of the country's peace and unification, the North and the South reunited as one family. During those 50 years, poetry has often been used to express emotions, ideals, thoughts and the meaning of life in a special way.

Poetry, first of all, is to beautify the human soul and life. Honoring poetry is to honor the subtle values ​​of culture, multiplying the good values ​​of life, contributing to building trust and social ethics, implementing and concretizing the Party's guidelines on culture and arts in response to the requirements of the new era. In recent years, the city has paid special attention to building and developing literature and arts, including the strong inspiration of poetry, all for human dignity.

In the seminars held in Da Nang recently, the city's creative team regularly presented multi-dimensional perspectives and approaches to two key areas of poetic creation, which are the courage and identity of today's poets. There, courage is self-confidence, self-mastery in all conditions and circumstances. With courage and talent, poets will create their own identity, difference, and uniqueness.

Poets also affirm that only with courage can one have identity, a poet without identity is just a poet, not a poet. Especially in the current era of artificial intelligence entering creative writing. No matter how transcendent, artificial intelligence will never be able to replace the genuine vibrations of the human soul, the process of writing with all the poet's emotions... That is also the courage and identity of a writer.

I think the topic of 50 years of national reunification is a great topic, with great appeal for artists to create, especially for writers and poets who are passionate about approaching it in the hope of completing works that keep up with the footsteps of the Fatherland and the era they live in. "Song of national reunification" will certainly be a central topic for art organizations to launch large and exciting creative campaigns in 2025...

* Thank you for this conversation!

Performed by NHAN HOA ANH

Source: https://baodanang.vn/channel/5414/202503/nhin-lai-chang-duong-tho-da-nang-4002751/