My Thoughts on Viễn Phương's Poem 'Visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum'

Topic: My Reflection on Viễn Phương's Poem 'Visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum'. 

Sample essay on my reflections on Viễn Phương's poem 'Visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum'

I. Outline of My Thoughts on Viễn Phương's Poem 'Visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum'

President Hồ Chí Minh has been the source of inspiration for numerous renowned poets, and among them, Viễn Phương's poem 'Visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum' continues to leave deep impressions on readers. The poem reflects the most sincere and profound emotions of the author and the people of the South towards their beloved and great Father of the Nation.

Viễn Phương wrote the poem 'Visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum' in 1976, a year after the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country, coinciding with the inauguration of President Hồ Chí Minh's mausoleum. The poet's visit to Uncle Ho's mausoleum in the North filled him with boundless emotions, which inspired him to create this deeply emotional poem.

Right from the first stanza, the author introduces an outside scene of the mausoleum in a very natural and truthful manner:

From the South, I come to visit Uncle Ho's mausoleum
In the mist, rows of bamboo stand tall
Oh! The green bamboo of Vietnam
Standing straight amidst storms and rain.

Before Uncle Ho's mausoleum, there is an emotional state, the heartfelt words of a Southern child after many days of longing to visit Uncle Ho in the North. Right from the first line: 'From the South, I come to visit Uncle Ho's mausoleum,' is like a simple announcement, introducing with simplicity yet containing much affection. With the address 'Child - Uncle,' readers can feel the intimacy and warmth, the reverence of a child returning after a long absence to meet the beloved father of the nation. Through this, we also see that there is no gap between the leader and the people, but rather a close bond. The phrase 'child in the South' contains both a sense of loss and immense pride. The South, with its hardships yet bravery, has fought and sacrificed for so many years to achieve the day of national unity, yet Uncle Ho does not share that joy with the millions of hearts of the country. That pain is somewhat alleviated with the subtle use of substitute words by the poet. Using 'visit' instead of 'worship' soothes the pain of Uncle Ho's loss and hides deep in the hearts of every Vietnamese: Uncle Ho is still alive.

Following that emotional state is a scene of rows of bamboo appearing before the poet when standing in front of the mausoleum. Since ancient times, the image of bamboo has become familiar, close to every corner of the countryside, now it is personified as the image of the Vietnamese people with many noble qualities: resilience, perseverance, standing tall in the face of every difficulty and challenge. The bamboo, like the nation - representing the people, is always loyal and connected, guarding peaceful sleep for Him. With the exclamation 'Oh!' used by the poet, it expresses both the emotion and pride before the image of bamboo. It can be said that the image of bamboo is the prelude to express the poet's turbulent emotions when arriving at Uncle Ho's mausoleum.

Continuing that emotional flow is the author's feelings towards the image of people entering the mausoleum to pay respects to Uncle Ho:

Every day as the sun passes over the mausoleum
I see a sun inside the mausoleum so red

With a heart full of gratitude, admiration, and love for the nation's leader. The author uses the image of the 'sun' to symbolize the image of Uncle Ho in the hearts of millions of Vietnamese. A beautiful and imaginative image. If above is the natural sun illuminating space and bringing life to all creatures, then in the line below, the 'sun' is a metaphor for Uncle Ho. Uncle Ho is a talented revolutionary leader bringing revolutionary light, providing warmth, freedom, and happiness to the people. The detail 'so red' makes the verse even more impressive, showing a passionate heart always sacrificing for the country, for the people, and a warm heart always offering the most affectionate feelings to the entire nation. That red color dispels the pain of loss, warming the scene of suffering.

Joining the crowd to visit Uncle Ho's mausoleum, the poet is moved, emotional:

Every day the crowd walks in remembrance
Forming a line of flowers for seventy-nine springs.

With the phrase 'day by day,' it evokes impressions of eternal life, the law of people entering Uncle Ho's mausoleum as well as the natural law of creation. It also evokes the people's unwavering memory of Uncle Ho. The image of 'the crowd walking in remembrance' is a vivid image, depicting each day's slow and solemn procession of people into the mausoleum in emotion, sorrow, and infinite gratitude. Viễn Phương compares this image to a line of flowers offered to Him because their lives have blossomed under His revolutionary light. It's a truly beautiful and humane image.

Continuing that emotional flow is the poet's long-held emotions and feelings when standing before Uncle Ho's sarcophagus:

Uncle Ho lies in peaceful slumber
Amidst a gentle, soft moonlight

Uncle Ho's sleep is amidst the moon, a normal night's sleep rather than an eternal autumn slumber. It feels as though He is still there, beside us. This is a 'peaceful' sleep filled with love for humanity and all beings. Here we see the author's exceptional and creative use of cosmic imagery to compare Uncle Ho. The image of the 'moonlight' brings to mind the pure and noble beauty of Him.

Pride and admiration, like waves, subside to make way for overwhelming pain:

Knowing the sky is eternal
But feeling a throb deep inside.

Though reason insists that Uncle Ho remains forever with us, our hearts ache as if choked, speechless upon realizing a heartbreaking truth: Uncle Ho has departed forever. It's an infinite, heartbreaking pain. The poem is like the choked sob of a late child beside the sarcophagus of their Father. And then, the imagery of the universe: the 'blue sky' is mentioned as something magnificent, sublime, immortal, eternal, to praise the grandeur, while expressing the poet's reverence for Uncle Ho.

If above, that pain was just smoldering, aching, then in the final stanza, as the poet is about to return to the South, emotions suddenly surge. The long-held longing erupts into choked sobs:

Returning to the South tomorrow, tears surge
Returning to the South tomorrow, endless longing for Uncle Ho

These two lines serve as a farewell, with 'surge' depicting intense, nostalgic, reluctant, lingering emotions, unwilling to part. It's not just the author's pain but the pain of millions of tiny hearts sharing the loss of Uncle Ho. That emotion, that feeling, reaches its peak, hence the poet's wish to become 'a bird singing around the mausoleum,' 'a flower spreading fragrance here,' 'a faithful young bamboo' to live eternally with Him, to repay the debt Uncle Ho bestowed upon humanity:

Want to be a bird singing around Uncle Ho's mausoleum
Want to be a flower spreading fragrance everywhere
Want to be a faithful young bamboo here.

As we know, the poem begins with the image of bamboo. And by the end, 'bamboo' is mentioned again. However, now bamboo carries a new meaning. It's no longer just ordinary bamboo but symbolizes love and loyal aspirations to continue following the revolutionary path that Uncle Ho chose for the nation.

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