Andrew-Nguyen
Mùa Hè(Summer)
By; Xuân Quỳnh
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| Beach eh? |
The sky is deep blue, sunlight is everywhere.
The soil climbs the tree; the sap tends the fruits.
Man’s footsteps break new paths.
It’s the season in which nothing can hide.
The whole world is dressed in light.
The sea aqua, the white sails full.
And bitterness turns into poetry.
The whole world is dressed in light.
The sea aqua, the white sails full.
And bitterness turns into poetry.
It’s the season of hopes and dreams,
Of man’s ancient and innumerable cravings.
Winds turn to storms, rains into rivers and seas.
A simple glance might light the spark of love.
Of man’s ancient and innumerable cravings.
Winds turn to storms, rains into rivers and seas.
A simple glance might light the spark of love.
It’s the season of twilights.
The paper kite parts the high open sky,
The crickets stay awake in the warm night singing,
The moor hen breaks the noon’s silence.
The paper kite parts the high open sky,
The crickets stay awake in the warm night singing,
The moor hen breaks the noon’s silence.
O summer, have you gone?
O desires of youth, are you here or not?
The earth still holds the deep blue of the sea,
And the sweet fruit, the faint color of blossoms.
I chose the picture of a beach, that represents the season of summer her country. The waves, trees, skies, and body of water expresses many emotions.
To me, the poem is packed with many uses of figurative language by the author herself. It is extraordinary of how she uses the transitions of mood and tone, such example is when she described wind turns to storms, rains into rivers and seas. In reality, storms can stand out as hard times while the good relaxing times can be about the beach and crickets chirping at night. Xuan translates her expressions into different elements of nature and blended it very well.
BIO;
Xuan Quynh(1942-1988), a Vietnamese female poet who is famous for her many well known
poetry such as Boat & Sea, Waves & Love at the end of autumn. Her poetry is very emotional, with different level of characters, such as her own character as well. She earned the State prize and the Hồ Chí Minh Prize for her achievements for the country's literature. The poet's thoughts are always close to being written with the lovingness of a woman who has worked as a poet, wife, and mother. She was married twice in her life. In 1973 she was married to a playwright, Lưu Quang Vũ, and before him she married a musician of the Central People's Congregation and divorced. 
I also agree on they way you pointed out the fact that she was using nature and man and how she combines them together like "A simple glance might light the spark of love." Sometimes when I think about the beach I think about those stories that people would read, or the movie that people have seen where they are walking on the beach and the next thing you know they are in love.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your interpretation of the poem. The poet had enforced figurative language that helped shape the poem to showcase the emotional and nature-like feel Summer enforces. I would say the photo greatly captures the introspective feel the poet puts forth to move the reader. So many concepts are brought up even love as mentioned in line 12 which stood out most to me. As I further read the poem and look over your analysis, I got to fully get the deeper meaning of Summer and the small characteristics that make it interesting and connecting to the audience.
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