Emotional memoir about the resistance war 'South of Ben Hai River' and the poetry collection 'Dewdrops by the Window'

Poet Nguyen Van A was born in 1952, from Van Giang (Son Thinh, Huong Son, Ha Tinh), pen name is Khanh Van. He joined the army, spent decades rolling around all over the fierce battlefields. He was awarded 4 First, Second, Third Class Military Exploit Medals; 1 Heroic Youth Medal for Protecting the Fatherland; 2 "Brave Aircraft Destroyer" certificates... during the resistance wars. He is a member of the Vietnam Journalists Association, has received many awards in writing contests on the topic of revolutionary war.

On April 12, 2024 in Hanoi, poet Nguyen Van A launched the poetry collection "Dewdrops by the Window" (Writers Association Publishing House) and the memoir "South of Ben Hai River" (Literature Publishing House) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025).

Lieutenant Colonel and poet Nguyen Van A receives congratulatory flowers from his comrades (Photo: L. Mai)

Poet Nguyen Van A expressed: “What I wrote in the poetry collection “Dewdrops by the Window” is the sound of my heart and the memoir “South of Ben Hai River” is the beginning of my literary career after 55 years of holding a gun and a pen. Using literature to show gratitude to life, to those who have contributed to the country is a noble gesture, a moral of remembering the source of water when drinking. That is the message I want to send to readers”.

“Dewdrops by the Window” is a collection of poems written by the author from 1971 to 2024, consisting of 3 parts. Part one “Dewdrops by the Window” is a collection of poems about love between couples, the love of soldiers for their homeland and country, and their willingness to fight and sacrifice for the Fatherland.

Part two, “The Interlude of Seasons,” is a collection of poems about love and world affairs. Although they are personal thoughts, they also reflect the current events to some extent. Part three, “Nostalgia,” is a collection of poems filled with the author’s nostalgia for his homeland, the battlefield, comrades, relatives, friends, etc.

Associate Professor, PhD, literary critic Nguyen Thanh Tu commented on the poetry collection: Reading “Giọt Dew by the Window” by author Nguyen Van A feels like re-reading part of one’s life in the thoughts of the previous generation. The poetry collection speaks of the respectable character of the soldier, speaks of a cultural era of all determined to live for the Fatherland. This is a precious poetic voice, worthy of sharing and honoring.

The memoir “South of Ben Hai River” consists of 2 parts. Part 1, “When the South Calls,” includes 19 articles about the battles the author and his comrades experienced, memories with his comrades, and memories of the silent heroes who have not yet been honored.

Part 2 "Sediment" includes 10 articles about his post-war journey to pay tribute to his comrades, return names to martyrs, and his determination to mobilize all resources to build memorial works along the Ben Hai River.

Lieutenant Colonel and writer Pham Van Anh shared that not only is it a true memory of a veteran who fought bravely with his comrades on many fronts to unify the country and bring the country back together, "South of Ben Hai River" is also a valuable literary history with many emotional ranges.

“Through “South of Ben Hai River” by Lieutenant Colonel, poet Nguyen Van A, readers will see the pain of soldiers surging through the pages, will deeply understand the cruelty of war and the post-war wounds that can never be healed. Readers will understand the price of peace and be proud of a heroic Vietnamese nation, with will, determination, and great solidarity that has created great achievements,” writer Pham Van Anh affirmed.

It can be said that the poetry collection “Dewdrops by the Window” and the memoir “South of Ben Hai River” by poet Nguyen Van A are touching pages written by a veteran who fought steadfastly with his comrades on many fronts to unify the country and bring the country back together.

Thuy Duong

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/xuc-cam-truyen-ky-ve-khang-chien-phia-nam-song-ben-hai-va-tap-tho-giot-suong-ben-cua-so-post545237.html