Reflecting on the Opening Stanza of 'Tiny Spring'

5 Exemplary Essays Reflecting on the Opening Stanza of 'Tiny Spring'

I. Outline of Analyzing the Opening Stanza of 'Tiny Spring'

1. Standard Outline

a. Introduction

Introducing the author and the literary work

b. Body of the Work

* A Vivid Portrait of Spring, Full of Vitality:
- A purple flower proudly displaying its color amidst the green river.
- The verb 'sprout' at the beginning of the sentence suggests the gentle, delicate movement of the petals.
- The sound of chirping birds adds liveliness to the spring picture.
- Glistening droplets: Dewdrops on leaves, or perhaps the lingering echoes of chirping birds forming solid shapes.
=> Spring in Huế is adorned with the simple hues of nature and the vibrant sounds of life.

* The Poet's Emotions Towards the Spring Scene:
- Surprised and moved upon encountering the signs of spring.
- The word 'sprout' not only evokes the movement of the flowers but also reflects the author's mixture of surprise, excitement, and anticipation upon noticing the subtle, delicate changes.

c. Conclusion

Affirming the value of the content and artistry of the poem.
 

2. Outline No. 2:

a. Introduction

Introducing the author and the work: The poem was written in November 1980, shortly before the author's passing, reflecting the deep affection for the country's life and the author's desire for dedication.

b. Body of the poem

- Nature's spring
+ Details: Birds singing, flowers blooming depict the spring
+ Spring is lively, cheerful, full of life (Emerging amidst the green river, echoing on the hills)

- This is the imaginative spring of November 1980
- The poem was written while the poet was lying in bed sick but still optimistic (I...caught) depicts a nurturing attitude
- The tone is tender, life-affirming

The poem presents numerous beautiful and evocative images, simple yet profound, using similes, metaphors, and creativity to express the poet's deep affection and connection with the country and life. The sincere aspiration of the poet is to bring everyone a little spring of their own into the great spring of the nation.

II. Sample Essay: Reflecting on the Opening Lines of 'Little Spring'

1. Reflecting on the Opening Lines of 'Little Spring', Sample 1:

Spring, it could be called the most beautiful time of the year. Speaking of spring is like talking about the love of life flowing and the burning dreams of people in life. Perhaps that's why spring has long been a familiar theme of poets. Writing about spring, each poet has their own unique and characteristic verses, here, we only discuss the imagery of spring in the familiar poem 'Little Spring' by poet Thanh Hai.

The poem begins by portraying a spring scene before us amidst the backdrop of nature and the earth, the universe:

Amidst the green river flows
A violet flower stands
Oh! The warbler bird
Sings to echo through the sky...

The spring scenery gradually reveals itself with a truly simple, yet poetic and profound beauty. Here, Thanh Hai's spring comes not with the grandeur of Hanoi's cherry blossoms or the vibrant yellow apricot flowers, but simply with a violet flower blooming amidst the clear blue waters. The flower leans down to the water's surface like a mirror to stand out against a sky reflected under the river's surface, with a light, harmonious color that is both charming and endearing. Thanh Hai has created a unique quality to his spring painting, and it becomes even more beautiful, having a 'soul' when the color purple is intensified to 'violet.' That hue has been skillfully and artistically painted into the picture, allowing us readers to vividly imagine a small, lovely violet flower capable of tinting the sky and the space of spring full of vitality. That purple color spreads out, dances lightly, and gently sways along with the spring breeze blowing from the cool green river. The spring landscape in the poem is perhaps simple, plain, and profound, as serene as the author's homeland in the central region. Hue is famous for its dreaminess with the Ngự Mountain and the Perfume River, now even more beautiful under the poet's pen...

The nature painting, quiet until now as if containing contemplation, suddenly becomes vivid and 'alive' because of a passing warbler bird:

Oh! The warbler bird sings
Melodiously echoing through the sky
Each glistening droplet falls
I reach out my hand to catch!

Now that painting suddenly becomes even more beautiful and unique with the blending of two colors: harmonious (green, violet) and sparkling brilliance (glistening). The verse now carries a somewhat strange, seemingly illogical aspect; the warbler bird sings to echo through the entire sky! In reality, that sky is the author's own space, within the author's heart, so only the author alone can feel and hear it. The poet's humble soul before the earth and sky, thus all scenes of that soul become small, lovely, and adorable: the small bird of the small spring in a small space. But that 'small' aspect somewhat creates a unique contrast in the verse. That soul, that heart, though small, only it can fully feel the spring of the earth and the natural universe... And now the bird's song rings out again, the familiar song of the rustic countryside:

Oh! The joyous song
The warbler bird
Over the ripening rice fields
Spring dances as it flies...

(Tố Hữu)

Enchanted by the birdsong, before the poet's eyes seem to appear gentle glistening droplets falling lightly:

'Each glistening droplet falls,
I reach out my hand to catch!'

'Each glistening droplet'... what drops? Sunlight, dewdrops, drops of happiness, or perhaps drops of spring softly falling from the wings of small warbler birds soaring to spread spring to everyone? But most accurately, it's the drops of birdsong, drops of birdsong that only the author feels, and 'sees'! Seeing things that ordinary eyes may not see perhaps because Thanh Hai is looking with the eyes of a poet. The birdsong is heard, but here the author looks. This sensation of exchanging feelings should only be experienced by the intoxicated. The seemingly illogical verse now suddenly makes sense. Indeed, Thanh Hai is intoxicated, he is intoxicated by the beautiful, enchanting spring scenery, intoxicated by the graceful, charming spring princess. And from there, with reverence, so gently, the author reaches out to catch, to receive the good fortune, the beauty, and the 'blessings' of spring bestowed upon the soul of every individual, and especially upon the author.

The more we read Thanh Hai's poetry, the more we feel intrigued and enchanted. Especially after reading 'A Little Spring', we seem to perceive the essence of spring seeping into the earth and sky, blending into the heart of spring and into the hearts of readers. This is truly a 'little spring' that Thanh Hai has offered to life. If we know that Thanh Hai wrote this poem while he was lying on a sickbed, not during springtime... and just a few months later he passed away forever... nevertheless, the purple flower along with life, the blue river of hope, of faith in life, still remains a gentle image telling us many things...

2. Reflection on the opening of the poem 'A Little Spring', sample 2:

Thanh Hai is a poet who matured during the two resistance wars against the French and the Americans. The Perfume River and Ngự Mountain nurtured the poet's pure and profound soul, lifelong associated with the revolution and the homeland until his last breath. The poem 'A Little Spring' stands out as one of his remarkable works. Reading the poem, readers are deeply impressed by the opening stanza:

'Amidst the green river flows
A purple flower blooms
Oh, the warbler sings
Its song echoing through the sky
Each glistening droplet falls
I reach out my hand to catch'

The poem 'A Little Spring' was born in a very special context just before the poet was about to bid farewell to life. Yet, the poem remains youthful and full of aspirations for dedication. It is structured along the rich emotional stream of the author. Through keen observation and sensitive senses, but above all, with a heart full of love for the homeland, Thanh Hai has painted a spring picture so gentle, serene, simple yet incredibly romantic:

'Amidst the flowing river of green
A purple flower emerges
Oh, the warbler sings
Its song echoing through the sky'

The signs of spring's arrival are perceived by the poet through sight: a purple flower emerges on the green river of the homeland. The green color of the river serves as a backdrop for the purple flower. The verb 'emerges' at the beginning of the line depicts the joyous surprise, the joyous welcome of spring. The purple flower bears the characteristic of the profoundness of Huế, the characteristic of the Huế áo dài. It could be the purple lục bình flower or the gunflower that we often encounter and perceive through the passionate gaze of Lê Anh Xuân:

'Purple lục bình flowers line the riverbank'
Returning to the homeland

The green hue, the purple color has created a spring painting with vivid and profound strokes. It is a multidimensional painting that, when looked at by people, seems to read the soulful melody of the homeland.

The space of spring expands upward, the poet joyfully listens to the warbler's song in the clear sky. The 'Oh' at the beginning of the verse is a sweet, emotional call expressing the ecstatic joy upon hearing the sound of the bird. The warbler's song calls spring or the excited hearts of the people of Huế, of the Vietnamese people, before the arrival of spring. The resounding song vibrates through the earth and sky, bringing joy and excitement to the hearts of people.

Gazing at the river, admiring the beautiful flowers, listening to the warbler's song, the poet feels excited and involuntarily extends his hand to catch each sound, each morning dew, or each shimmering raindrop of spring:

'Each shimmering drop falls
I extend my hand to catch'

The poet's simple yet profound gesture reflects deep emotions. It is a poetic association through the art of sensory perception, utilizing auditory, visual, and tactile senses to perceive the aesthetic forms of sound.

Hue, with its poetic beauty, has deeply touched people's hearts and inspired countless poems. The spring of Hue has been a subject for poets throughout history, as seen in Han Mac Tu's poem 'Ripe Spring,' written nearly half a century ago:

'In the blush of sunbeam dreams
Thatched roofs glisten in golden hues
Airing blue robes in the noon breeze
Spring shadows dance on the trellis beams'

Thus, through the opening verse of the poem, Thanh Hai paints a vivid picture of Hue's springtime nature. This painting features purple flowers and the echoing song of birds, evoking a subtle appreciation of Hue's spring for the reader.

3. Appreciation of the opening verse of the poem 'Tiny Spring,' example 3:

Poetry is the timeless beauty, the beauty of nature, the beauty of humanity. Perhaps spring is the time when all the beauty of the country and the Vietnamese people converge, making spring poetry fresh and profound. We reminisce about a touch of spring in the poetry of King Tran Nhan Tong:

'Parallel, two white butterflies
Flutter amidst drifting petals.'

('Early Spring Morning - Tran Nhan Tong')

We sense a vibrant spring hue in the poetry of the great poet Nguyen Du:

'Green grass extends to the horizon,
A few pear blossoms dot the branches.'

(The Tale of Kieu - Nguyen Du)

I gaze eagerly at a kite soaring on the village's spring festival day:

'Four pink corners flutter,
Two rows of jade legs stretch in parallel.'

('Swinging' - Hồ Xuân Hương)

And here is the spring poetry of Rhanh Hai:

'Amidst the green river flow,
A purple flower blooms,
Oh, the bird chirps in the sky,
Singing echoing through the heavens,
Every sparkling drop falls,
I reach out my hand to catch'...

Some say: 'This verse is as beautiful as a painting'. It's the spring painting of 'Beautiful and poetic Hue', the beloved homeland of poet Thanh Hai.

The first two lines are a vibrant spring color bathing our souls coolly. The verse is like a voice exclaiming in surprise upon seeing a beautiful scene that stirs the heart:

'Amidst the green river flow,
A purple flower blooms'

There's the river and the flower. There's the 'green' of the river serving as a backdrop to the 'purple' of the flower, a new spring bloom. The river depicted in Thanh Hai's poem isn't just any river; readers easily recognize it as the Perfume River, 'the romantic river of the ancient capital Hue' as poet To Huu confides:

'Perfume River, oh, tranquil stream,
Through our hearts, still loves itself day and night'

'Amidst the green river flow,' the 'purple flower' blooming can only be the wildflowers, the lục bình flowers, beloved by Le Anh Xuan after long years away from home:

'Lục bình flowers, purple lining the riverbank.'

The word 'bloom' at the beginning of the line 'Amidst the green river flow' signifies a sudden spring appearance, a strong and beautiful spring force emerging fresh, vibrant, and splendid like a spring maiden in her elegant 'purple' attire against the green backdrop of the river. Thanh Hai has used two bright colors to paint a beautiful spring scene on the canvas of spring.

Gazing at the river, marveling at the beautiful spring flowers, the poet softly cheers as suddenly he hears the birds singing 'throughout the sky':'

'Oh! The wren sings
How it echoes through the sky'

'Oh' is an exclamatory word expressing the poet's deeply moved emotions upon hearing the wren sing. The wren's song is a countryside melody. The wren builds its nest on the plow handle, it's the familiar companion of the farmers. Hearing the wren's song brings joy, as it's believed: 'When the wren sings, the rice crop will be good' (Proverb). The two words 'sings echoing' are evocative, they're the 'sweet talk' of the folks of 'Hue land.' Through this, we see the second aspect of spring that the poet perceives as joy. Through the wren's song, we feel the vastness and purity of the spring sky. We feel the generous heart of the child of Hue. A very graceful and adorable gesture:

'Each glistening drop falls
I reach out my hand to catch'

Without mentioning the sun, we still feel the rosy dawn making each dewdrop glisten like tiny pearls hanging on the tips of grass and leaves. 'Each glistening drop falls' could also be the strings of sounds, each string of the wren's song echoing from the high sky, 'falling' down? The gesture of 'reaching out... to catch' demonstrates a poetic soul harmonized with nature, the earth, and the universe.

True poetry is a vivid painting that unfolds in the reader's heart, revealing countless colors and vast horizons. The bird's song, the glistening dewdrops in Thanh Hai's poetry, likewise, unveil countless worlds of morning scenes in the countryside. Beloved familiar scenery:

'The sun rises, illuminating
The rice blossoms more golden
Dew hangs on the grass
The dew glistens even more
Soaring high into the blue sky
The wren sings loudly'...

('Visiting the Rice Fields' - Tran Huu Thung)

The six-line, thirty-word verse by Thanh Hai is indeed a beautiful and joyful spring painting. There's the sky and the river. There are flowers displaying their colors and birds singing. There are glistening morning dewdrops. Human figures appear on the spring painting with graceful, relaxed gestures, with pure, optimistic souls full of love for life and nature.

'A Small Spring' is a spring masterpiece by Thanh Hai. He wrote this poem in November 1980, just a month before his passing. It can be said that the verse here embodies an eternal longing for spring.

4. Analysis of the Opening Stanza of A Small Spring, Sample 4:

Thanh Hai's 'A Small Spring' is a remarkable depiction of spring with profound significance. Particularly, the first stanza vividly portrays how spring permeates deeply into the reader's heart.

Spring is often considered the most beautiful time of the year, so talking about spring seems to make us feel even more in love with life. Perhaps that's why spring has become a familiar theme in Vietnamese poetry.

At the beginning of the poem, the author sketched a spring scene against the backdrop of nature:

'Amidst the green river flow
A purple flower blooms
Oh, the chirping bird
Sings and echoes through the sky'

The river, painted in green, evokes images of winding streams around the central land strip. Amidst the green hue stands out the image of a purple flower, not the yellow of apricot blossoms or the red of peach blossoms, but just a purple flower appearing before the eyes. This reflects the Hue's distinctive identity, where purple is the characteristic color of its people and land. The poet cleverly used the inversion technique to place the verb 'bloom' at the beginning of the sentence to emphasize the beauty full of vitality of the natural spring, the spring of the land and sky. Not only images but also the sound of the chirping bird echoing through the sky, stirring both the earth and the sky, the poet's soul with words of exclamation like 'oh, sings.' A contemplative painting suddenly resounds with the chirping of a bird, making it vivid, a bird chirping yet resonating throughout the sky, in fact, that sky is the author's own space, so only the author can perceive that.

Enthralled by the bird's song, before the poet's eyes seem to appear the sparkling drops gently falling down 'Each sparkling drop falls, I reach out my hand to catch!'

Enthralled, mesmerized by the simple and poetic beauty of spring, the poet was deeply moved:

'Each sparkling drop falls
I reach out my hand to catch'

Spring rain, sunshine, or dewdrops are described by the author as 'sparkling drops'. In the poet's emotional flow, these are seen as the drops of the echoing bird's sound. With a delicate perception, the poet has personified the bird's song as a tangible entity, a creative expression that only those with sensitive souls can fully appreciate.

Reading the poem 'Tiny Spring,' especially in the first passage, we feel the breath, the essence of spring spreading into the earth and sky, blending into nature. This is indeed a tiny spring that poet Thanh Hai dedicated to life in the final moments of his life.

>> Explore more exemplary essays and works of 'Tiny Spring' on Mytour

- My Reflections and Contemplations on the poem 'Tiny Spring'
- Analysis of the poem 'Tiny Spring'
- Grade 9 Composition - 'Tiny Spring'