Poet Bang Viet always considered Hanoi "the city of his life," a place that holds a special place in his soul, poetry, and life itself - "The city of ever-fresh love / Where it finally settles, transforming into my soul!"
Hanoi - the place where I finally settled down, where my soul became one!
Born in Hue in 1941, with his ancestral home in Xu Doai (Thach That district, Ha Tay province (formerly), now Tay Phuong commune, Hanoi), poet Bang Viet spent most of his life in Hanoi.
He always acknowledged that, deep within his soul, he harbored a passionate, fervent, and unwavering love for Hanoi. For him, the city was not only present in his poetry but also permeated many aspects of his life and career: literary creation; research and study of the culture and history of Thang Long-Hanoi; state administration; and work with associations and organizations involved in literary and artistic activities.
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Journalist Vu Viet Trang, Director General of VNA, presents the Grand Prize to poet Bang Viet. Photo: Hoa Nguyen |
In his creative work, Hanoi has been a persistent source of emotion in Bang Viet's poetry, with about 30 poems about the city that he once intended to compile into a separate collection, many of which left a lasting impression, such as: Returning to My Heart (1967); This Land, Thang Long-Hanoi (1973); Conversations with the City of My Life (1974)...
For over half a century, Bang Viet has been engrossed in poetic creation, yet his poems about Hanoi remain the most evocative, tender, and profound works of poetry. He wrote about a Hanoi full of elegance even during the days of fierce bombing:
So many things nobody knows
Suddenly, I felt deeply the pain of the days of fighting against America.
Hanoi is busy, even without a moment's rest.
He still retains his charming demeanor!
( Return to your heart )
"Returning to My Heart" was written during the days when the entire North was still engulfed in the smoke and flames of the brutal war waged by the American invaders. Immediately after its appearance on the literary scene, the work won first prize in the Hanoi Literature and Arts competition in 1967. From his evacuation location, the poet returned to the capital. Overwhelmed with emotion, silently gazing at every street corner and every road that held so many memories of his life, Bang Viet could not contain his feelings. And he called that return " Returning to My Heart ." This journey back helped the poet understand Hanoi better, recognizing the many beauties of Hanoi yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
Hanoi in Bang Viet's poetry is also seen "through the poet's piercing blue eyes": "The tram bells in the early morning mist / And the sun peeks over the late-winter trees / (...) / The streets fragrant with night-blooming jasmine make my heart beat restlessly / I walk alone under the confused blue afternoon / The city whispers in a newly kindled love" ( A Little Whisper in Love with Hanoi ).
"I have dreams in the old city / Like stars from the age of nine or ten… / After twenty years / They still look at me with their clear blue eyes" ( Conversations with the city of my life ).
"The year I met you, incessant storms were raging in Hanoi / Rain was falling at the bus station, you stood waiting alone…" ( The Year I Met You ).
Bang Viet's perspective on Hanoi always stems from subtle experiences originating from within, connected to private, profound emotions from early life, of love, and personal feelings. Infused with these emotions are the aspirations and dreams of youth when thinking about the city of his life. The clearest evidence of this characteristic can be seen in verses such as:
"The Red River is rising. I'll take you across."
August - Two-span bridge collapses
The Red River recedes - when he returns
We held hands on the path that had been joined.
Both banks of the Long Bien River
A thousand colorful leaves unfurl on the sugarcane stalks.
Great happiness, pride, it's that simple.
"Back then - I hadn't thought of it yet..."
( Love and Alarm )
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The 19th Bui Xuan Phai Award Ceremony - For the Love of Hanoi, 2026. In the photo: Journalist Nguyen Thien Thuat (center) - Editor-in-Chief of The Thao va Van Hoa newspaper, Head of the Organizing Committee of the 19th Bui Xuan Phai Award - For the Love of Hanoi, 2026, and Ms. Bui Cam Vi (far right) presenting certificates to the nominees. Photo: Hoa Nguyen |
Cultural background and practical experiences have nurtured a poetic soul that is both profound and sharp, revealing a genuine, unassuming, calm, and deeply affectionate Bang Viet, who has been connected to the land for more than half his life. Hanoi is where the poet entrusts his most private thoughts and anxieties:
"The place where we first met, I can never forget."
The experiences we've had together have only strengthened our bond.
The city of ever-fresh love
"This is the final place where my soul will settle and become one!"
( A little whisper in the love of Hanoi ).
In the field of research, poet Bang Viet participated in many scientific works on literature and art that contributed to Hanoi, such as: Dictionary of Literature I and II, Anthology of Thang Long Culture and Heritage, Scholars of Thang Long, Dragon Capital - From the spirit of martial arts to heroism, Anthology of 1000 Years of Thang Long Poetry, Anthology of essays and prose from the Doai region ... These works show his profound approach to the city, which is to explore the layers of history, culture, and people to help identify the depth of Hanoi.
Besides writing and research, Bang Viet also spent many years involved in organizing and managing literature and art, as well as in state administration in the capital city. In various capacities, he left his mark through numerous proposals, initiatives, and specific works, contributing to the development of Hanoi's cultural and literary life.
For his outstanding contributions through numerous scientific works on literature and art for the city, and many poetry collections and works written about Hanoi, in 2013, poet Bang Viet was honored with the title of Outstanding Citizen of Hanoi.
According to Associate Professor Bui Hoai Son, poet Bang Viet is a very familiar face in the capital city, an outstanding figure not only in the field of poetry but also with many contributions to the cultural development of Hanoi over the years. His love for Hanoi is immense, and the Grand Prize awarded to him is entirely deserved.
Sharing the same view, journalist Ho Quang Loi stated that poet Bang Viet has made persistent and outstanding contributions to the development of literature, art, and culture in Hanoi over several decades, in various capacities. He was a poet, a cultural activist, and a manager of cultural and artistic activities in very important positions, making many positive contributions.
A poetic soul that lives on through time.
Belonging to the generation of poets who matured during the resistance war against the US, Bang Viet brought to Vietnamese poetry verses rich in thought, imbued with compassion and profound humanistic values. Bang Viet evokes the image of a warm, smoldering fire that illuminates and warms the realms of memory in the hearts of Vietnamese people. His journey of more than half a century of writing is the journey of a talented intellectual and a dedicated administrator.
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Poet Bang Viet shared his thoughts with the reporter. Photo: Hoa Nguyen |
The time when Bang Viet entered the Vietnamese literary scene was truly special, a season of poetry blossoming brilliantly amidst the smoke and fire of the trenches against American imperialism. Among that large group of poets, from the very beginning, Bang Viet established a unique identity with a poetic voice rich in narrative and philosophical depth.
In that early period of his poetic journey, Bang Viet created "The Hearth ," a poem that, like a vibrant tree, continues to flourish throughout his poetic career. Far from home, studying Law at Kyiv State University (formerly the Soviet Union), the longing for family and homeland, especially the image of his hardworking grandmother, spurred the 22-year-old student to write his first deeply moving poems. The poem "The Hearth" has become a work deeply ingrained in the minds of generations: "A hearth flickering in the early morning mist / A hearth radiating warmth and affection / How much I love my grandmother through all the sun and rain!"
From the beginning, Bang Viet's poetic style was well-defined: profound, sincere, and based on deep feelings for family and homeland. In 1968, his first poetry collection , "Fragrance of Trees - Hearth Fire ," published jointly with Luu Quang Vu, became a literary phenomenon. The collection was like a breath of fresh air, vibrant, elegant, and rich in thought.
Having endured the fierce years on the front lines of Zone 4 and along the Ho Chi Minh Trail as part of the 559th Regiment, Bang Viet became a seasoned war correspondent and left behind many poems that vividly captured the spirit of soldiers amidst bombs and bullets during the most intense years of fighting in Quang Tri, Hue, the Central Highlands, and along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. His poems written on the battlefield, later compiled into collections such as "Faces, Skies," "The Distance Between Words," and "Land After the Rain," were awarded the State Prize for Literature and Art.
After the reunification of the country, in addition to writing and research, Bang Viet spent many years involved in cultural management. He successively held many important positions, such as: General Secretary of the Hanoi Association of Literature and Arts, Editor-in-Chief of the Hanoi People's Newspaper, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Vietnam Union of Associations of Literature and Arts, and Chairman of the Hanoi Union of Literature and Arts.
While Bang Viet's early poetry was characterized by romantic and elegant beauty, his voice became calmer, more profound, and more contemplative during the Doi Moi (Renovation) period. He published several poetry collections, including: "The Half Moon Sinking" (1995), "Throwing Poems into the Wind" (2001), "Squinting at the World" (2008), and the anthology "Bang Viet's Poetry 1986-2016" (2020)...
To speak of Bang Viet without mentioning his translated poetry would be a great oversight, as he is a talented translator of poetry with numerous translated works, both collaborative and individual: Pablo Neruda's Poetry (1974), Yannis Ritsos' Poetry (1978), Cinderella (translation of E. Evtushenko's selected poems, 1982), 20th-Century World Lyrical Poetry (2004)... In particular, Vietnamese readers cannot forget his exquisite translations of poems such as *Falling Summer* by the Russian poet Olga Berggoltz: "Oh star, star, you are about to fall into the night,/ I know so well that time is bidding farewell,/ But only now do I know,/ Love-anger-forgiveness-separation..."
After more than half a century of writing, poet Bang Viet has made immense contributions to the national art scene. He was not only a poet but also a cultural activist and an administrator of cultural and artistic activities. He has been awarded many prestigious honors by the Party and the State, including: the Third-Class Anti-American Resistance and National Salvation Medal, the Second-Class Labor Medal, the State Prize for Literature and Arts, the ASEAN Literature Prize, the International Translation Prize, and the Poetry Prize of the Vietnam Writers Association.
Despite reaching an age rarely reached, poet Bang Viet's work ethic remains robust, his writing style full of passion and enthusiasm. Hidden within his tireless work is a deep passion, talent, and a rich cultural heritage. Poet Bang Viet will forever be a smoldering, enduring flame , burning with a burning desire to create and contribute to the development of literature, art, and culture in Hanoi in particular and the nation in general.
Source: https://znews.vn/nha-tho-bang-viet-ha-noi-noi-cuoi-cung-lang-lai-hoa-hon-toi-post1687005.html
