The cover of the poem The Shadow of the Past – Photo (LHK) The poetry collection “Old Afternoon Shadows”* by Nguyen Thi Thu has 70 poems printed with moderate thickness, beautiful and simple cover, giving readers a friendly and close first impression. There are only 3 poems written by the author about relatives (father, mother and deceased brother) arranged in separate arrays, but they are 3 poems rich in emotions. The rest are love poems. Women that. Eve’s words to invite Adam to eat the forbidden fruit is a love verse of the early morning ancestors of mankind. Without mentioning the memories as often seen in the lines of crying for separation, the verses in the poem “The day of his death” are linked, confused and helpless as if it was the longing for a relative who soon left. far from the world. It is not a manly page to be able to pour a cup of wine on the grave of a short loved one like Nguyen Thong (1827-1884) did in front of his brother’s grave in the article. “Falling away from a foreign country” (Far from my grave in a foreign land) , Nguyen Thi Thu tossed in a dream, in nostalgia hoping to find her brother’s figure, but soon realized it was a hopeless search: I look in a dream I search in nostalgia Parting is forever Far away, far away. (Your anniversary) Just a glance at the titles of the remaining 67 poems, readers can imagine so many levels of love in the soul of a woman who has endured and overcome many sun and rain in the world. There is a call for a lover in Why don’t you take me home, One day I will love, Love forever, Remember to listen to me, Tell me… There are timestamps left with Sunset, Old Wharf, Sent in the past, Winter, Spring at the door, The season of flying leaves… There are flowers that hide so many memories: A few degrees of yellow flowers, You and the lotus, Wild flowers, May flowers, Bi Ngan flower love story… Nguyen Thi Thu is like a woman in a cubist painting. Many faces turned to the four directions, but the eyes opened wide and looked into their own realm. This is a young girl in love, dreaming of a flower boat by the river in the rape season. That’s the girl sitting knitting a sweater unfinished a love affair. And far away is a woman who remembers an old autumn: He said he loves wildflowers You should send your heart to the wind and clouds Autumn is so far away To lose your love in this place forever. (To send) When the eyes are on their own world, the verse will be full of mood. “The shadow of the old afternoon” is so flickering with smoke, filled with sadness and joy, like the scenes of the film overlap in succession, and then suddenly the lens-lens-inner-mind pulls into a deep perspective with waves. The lake surface spreads to the abyss. Author Nguyen Thi Thu Literary works always carry in it, at different levels, the thoughts, feelings and sometimes even the fate of the writer. Because of that, facing life, sometimes verses and poems become a bridge to share, sympathize, and connect writers with others: One day, I lost my way to the moon and stars Know someone’s arms to pick up for those who missed an appointment? Please open your heart to love the sunshine Wipe your tears then… wipe even the rain. (Path to happiness) Reading Nguyen Thi Thu’s poetry, the reader encounters the author’s lyrical ego in every private moment, every small word confiding. When revealed by lines, shapes, when flickering, ghostly. Sometimes the truth is mixed together, both familiar and strange: Is there an afternoon where I’m alone? Sitting alone looking at the trees shedding leaves The rain is falling with long drops Tell us stories like yes, no? (Doesn’t it rain in the afternoon) “Old Afternoon Shadow” anchors the reader’s feelings because of its multi-voiced, multi-step tone, showing the author’s rich linguistic ability and sensitive and flexible rhyme perception, especially in the form of poetry. five languages ​​and hexagons: Losing love is a pain If you forget, it will be too late One dimple lover Words of love follow the wind to the flying sand. (Sand flies) It is not difficult to find the shortcomings, immaturity here and there in a collection of poems, but the most noticeable is the redundancy and repetition of words in a poem, or sometimes “trending” to use strange words. If the word “lost” choose a very expensive place in the article “Possible and impossible” then the fact that there are 6 mentions of the word “peace” (pages 27, 60, 64, 78, 88, 95) makes it difficult for readers to… peace! But, above all, “Old Afternoon Shadow” and the feelings of the author are worthy for readers to share and sympathize. United States of America ________________________ * Ancient Afternoon Shadow, poem by Nguyen Thi Thu. Writers Association Publishing House. HN. 2020 Nguyen Thi Thu Born in 1971 Hometown: Van Ha village, Duc Phong commune, Mo Duc. Currently residing in Thach Tru Tay village, Duc Lan commune, Mo Duc. Graduated from Dang Thuy Tram Medical College Published: Shadow of the Old Afternoon (poem); Writers Association Publishing House 2020 SAND FLIES Nguyen Thi Thu I’m back to find flying sand Find the place I’ve been here once Where is a foot print? A tired shoulder hesitant to miss each other? Losing love is a pain If you forget, it will be too late Money lover Words of love follow the wind to the flying sand Sad sea has someone this afternoon Returning to the sea of ​​the old days Rainy afternoon, remember a rainy afternoon Tears overflowed the eyes to blame… flying sand! 2020 BACK TO VALUES Nguyen Thi Thu Twenty years away from home The old bridge is now missing one person The windy road flies in the early winter The sun is still yellow in the sun of twenty. The old river wharf, the boat let go of its beams and waited The temple bells in the afternoon dyed brown clothes This is the small way I pick grapefruit flowers My hair is now fragrant with the wind by the river. Thatched roof remembers the embrace of ivory bamboo The distant fields are covered with blue smoke in the afternoon When she was a girl, how many times did her feet rush? Fun book lights that know once love. Yeah! The sea sand is so vast now! Are you used to leaving footprints? Ha Trung hamlet is as gentle as in a fairy tale Mom waiting for me to come back in the afternoon, the sun also plays with me That Van Ha cloud covers the mountain Tra Nien Bridge, who still remembers to come back I’m back to find a girl Listen to your reflection on the waves of the countryside. Van Ha – Thach Tru 2021

Only about 45 minutes by car from Hanoi capital, life in Kim Long commune, Tam Duong district, Vinh Phuc province still retains the rustic beauty, keeping the character of the old village of the North. When the harvest comes, the rice is fully ripe and spreads all over the countryside. The farmer wears the hot sun and wind of a summer day, reaping the fruits of nearly 3 months of labor. In the past two years, when the mechanization of agriculture came to the villages, the image of harvesters appeared in the fields. But in the village of Tam Duong, farmers still reap rice with ox carts. Most of the people in Kim Long commune are engaged in agriculture, and their year-round life is associated with fields. Returning to the village is like returning to our national roots, living in a peaceful and deep space, inhaling the scent of ripe rice with cool breezes. After the rice is harvested, the field is left with dried stubble. In the traditional way, people burn rice straw – both to clean the field, kill the germs of pests and diseases, and as a source of nutritious fertilizer for the next crop. The columns of smoke kept soaring, spreading throughout the space and blending into the sky. Having been born in the village, when going out, no one can not miss the taste of the village, the busy atmosphere of the harvest and the leisurely afternoons watching the vast fields. The sun gradually disappears behind the bamboo groves, the farmer gathers up his farm tools, rests on the side of the field, enjoys the cool breezes that dispel all his worries. Another crop has passed. When the evening light falls, it is also time to gather around a cozy tray of rice, rest after a day of hard work and talk about a crop.