Top 10 Essays on the Emotional Depiction of Mothers or Fathers in Poems - Mytour.vn

M. Gorki once wrote:

"The sky with no light, no flowers bloom

The heart empty of love, filled with gloom

Life lacks a loving mother or a woman

The hero poet asks, where has it gone?"

Clearly, the mother plays a crucial role in life. In the poem 'Visiting Mother' by Đinh Nam Khương, the reader is moved by the beauty of the mother’s figure. One winter afternoon, the child returns to visit their mother after years apart. As they see familiar objects, they are reminded of their mother's presence:

"I return to visit mother one winter afternoon

The kitchen is cold, mother is not home

Alone I wander in and out

The sky is calm, yet suddenly rain pours down"

The image of the kitchen smoke is deeply familiar, often associated with grandmothers and mothers. They are the ones who tend to the household chores. When the child sees that the smoke is absent, they realize that their mother is not there, deepening their longing. The familiar objects around them, now reminders of the mother, bring back memories:

"The jar of fermented beans mother sealed tight

The old conical hat now sits in the rain

The coat worn through long days in the field

Now it lies, worn, a flimsy cover for straw"

The mother, tirelessly working from dawn to dusk, takes care of everything meticulously. She waits for the child’s return to savor these little joys. This is the essence of a mother’s love, one dedicated to her children. The final two lines express the poet’s love for their mother. Sitting alone on the empty porch, the child is filled with longing at the sight of familiar objects that the mother once used, waiting for her return:

"Choking with emotion, I miss mother more

Feeling overwhelmed by simple, everyday things"

This overwhelming emotion shows the deep affection of the child. The thing that makes the child feel this emotion is the simple, everyday actions—things that the mother did to care for the home and family. The poem 'Visiting Mother' helps readers understand the struggles and sacrifices of mothers, encouraging us to cherish and love our mothers even more.

'Clouds and Waves' is one of the most iconic poems by poet Tagore, celebrating the sacred bond of motherhood. The poem feels like a tender conversation between a child and their mother, as the child shares their dreams of adventures in the sky.

The poem tells the story of a young boy invited by the clouds and waves to join in their playful journey, to immerse himself in the sea, the waves, and the clouds with peers in a magical world 'above the clouds' and 'within the waves'. Driven by curiosity, the child asks, 'But how can I get there?' and 'How can I reach those places?' Yet, when the child recalls their mother waiting at home, they resolutely refuse: 'How could I leave mother to go?' 'How could I leave her behind?' No joy could surpass the happiness of being with mother, even when the world outside is full of allure. Eventually, the child imagines games even more enjoyable than those of the 'clouds' and 'waves'.

'But I know a better game than that.'

'I’ll be the wave, and you’ll be the distant shore.'

'I’ll roll and roll, crashing into your arms, laughing aloud.'

'And no one in the world will ever know where we are.'

In this imaginative game, the child becomes the playful cloud and wave, while the mother is the moon, the gentle shore, holding and protecting the child. The image of an endless, rolling shore that bursts into laughter symbolizes the mother’s nurturing embrace. The mother brings joy and a foundation for the child’s life. The love between mother and child in this poem is deep and eternal, a portrayal of the timeless beauty of maternal love. No matter what happens in the world, the bond between mother and child endures across time and space, immortal and everlasting. This is the central meaning of the poem.

The poem is rich with narrative and descriptive elements, yet these are used to convey the emotions of the characters. Tagore expertly weaves dialogue and details in a way that is both repetitive and transformative, enhanced by the rich symbolism in the poem. 'Clouds and Waves' is a heartfelt story about the sacred, eternal love of a mother.

Many poems capture the image of a mother, sometimes portraying her gentle beauty and love for her child, other times reflecting the hard work and simplicity, or even the struggles that leave readers deeply moved. The portrayal of the mother in the poem 'Visiting Mother' by Dinh Nam Khuong left a profound emotional impact on me. The mother in this poem is depicted through simple, everyday events that, although seemingly insignificant, made me reflect deeply.

The image of a hardworking mother or the hardships she faces has appeared frequently in literature. So what makes the poem 'Visiting Mother' unique? It’s the indirect portrayal of the mother through the tasks she performs, or in other words, the mother is shown through the eyes of her child. The entire poem does not contain any direct speech or actions from the mother. Right from the beginning, the poetic subject informs us: 'The kitchen hasn't smoked yet, mother is not home.'

The images in the poem suggest that this is a rural mother. The jars of fermented soybeans, the rain hats, the conical hats, and the last fruits of the season affirm this.

The child returns to visit the mother on a cold winter afternoon.

The kitchen hasn’t smoked yet, and the mother is not at home.

On a winter afternoon, the mother is absent. Where could she be? No one can say for sure. The reader, based solely on the text, can only know that the mother is absent. Even in her absence, the mother’s presence is felt indirectly through the child’s perspective. When it rains, the jars are covered, showcasing the mother’s carefulness before leaving home. The rain hats and tattered clothes hanging on the broomstick, and even the chickens roaming around the broken bamboo cage, all reflect a simple, ordinary life. The house owner is someone who makes do with old items, reusing them in daily life. While this is something we often see, it is particularly poignant when the mother, at an age when rest would be expected, still labors, saves, and cherishes. The image of a winter afternoon, with the rain, stirred strong emotions in the child. Despite the simple, frugal, and somewhat difficult life, the mother continues to live this way, tirelessly. We can never know if the mother feels the hardship, but it’s clear that, in the child’s eyes, the mother's life seems difficult and patchwork, evoking a deep, choking sadness in the child.

Despite the simple, frugal, and sometimes hard life, this in no way contradicts the mother’s love for her child. It’s still the little things: the last fruit of the season, saved for the child. The last fruit is understood as something that’s becoming rare. And yet, the mother still saves it for the child. To save something for someone is a gesture of care, love, and respect, not something left over or unused. The 'saving for the child' reflects the mother’s deep affection and devotion.

Thus, we can see that the image of the mother here is expressed through the child’s perspective in two ways: the life they lead and the affection they share. The image of a mother in literature is often discussed and depicted in many ways. However, when it comes to portraying the everyday life of a mother in a way that moves the heart, and when the character is present only indirectly, we must mention the poem 'Visiting Mother' by Dinh Nam Khuong.

In the poem 'The Stork', the poet Che Lan Vien writes:

'Even when grown, you are still your mother's child'

'No matter where life takes you, your mother's love follows you.'

Indeed, this is true. A mother is always the one who loves and protects us. As a result, many writers and poets have created countless works to praise the noble heart and selfless sacrifice of mothers. In particular, we cannot overlook the poem 'Visiting Mother' by Dinh Nam Khuong. The image of the mother in this poem has left me deeply moved.

At first, I was deeply touched by the hardships and toil of the mother. Although she does not appear directly, the image of the mother remains vividly present. Her presence is closely linked with the beloved home, the 'fermented soybean jars,' and the 'newly hatched golden chickens.' One can imagine the small hands of the mother neatly arranging everything. Moreover, beyond the fields, the mother is also depicted as hardworking and tireless. The image of 'old rain hats standing and sitting in the rain' and the 'tattered raincoats now loosely draped over a straw person' vividly portrays the mother's image, working tirelessly regardless of the weather, rain or shine.

Furthermore, I am deeply moved by the mother's boundless love depicted in 'Visiting Mother.' The mother is always ready to give her child the best, never keeping anything for herself. The line 'The last fruit of the season has been saved for you' emphasizes the mother's great and noble heart. From this, I have come to appreciate and cherish the immense, boundless love of those who have carried us in their wombs and given birth to us.

As time passes, the image of the mother will remain etched in the hearts of readers, representing silent sacrifice and boundless love. Through this poem, author Dinh Nam Khuong cleverly reminds each of us to care for and love our parents more.

Tagore is a national poet of India, known not only as a poet but also as a writer and painter. In 1913, with his poetry collection 'Gitanjali', he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. The people of India take immense pride in Tagore, whose name has brought honor to his homeland. His poetry is often described as a 'song of love and compassion', a 'dream and yearning for freedom and happiness'. One of his beautiful poems, 'Clouds and Waves', although rarely mentioning a mother, highlights the sacred bond between mother and child.

Tagore poured his vast love and affection into his works for children, writing hundreds of poems about childhood using wonderful imagery and a heart full of kindness. His poetry presents a 'world of innocence', a 'peaceful and gentle childhood world'. He wrote:

'... Those who seek pearls dive for them.'

'And the traders'

'Sail their ships'

'While the children'

'Pick up pebbles and throw them away...'

(On the beach)

'Clouds and Waves' is a famous poem by Tagore, first published in the 'Young Moon' collection in 1915. Through the translation of Nguyen Dinh Thi, readers can feel the magical world of a child’s soul, an intelligent and filial child, happily living with their loving mother.

The poem is a heartfelt conversation between the innocent child and their mother, describing the child’s magical connection with nature, with the clouds and the waves. The clouds and waves speak softly to the child.

With the clouds, using boundless imagination, the child is playing with their mother. Suddenly, the child looks up at the sky, listens to the clouds calling from the nine heavens above. The clouds kindly invite the child to travel 'from dawn until night', to enjoy the golden dawn and play with the silver moon, from morning to evening. The clouds become a lyrical character, anthropomorphized with a smiling face and a soft, affectionate voice. The golden dawn, silver moon, and clouds are natural phenomena that people of all ages, from children to the elderly, from ordinary folk to artists and poets, have admired for their beauty and eternity.

The soul of childhood is innocent, pure, and full of imagination. So, the child 'talks' to the clouds and wishes to play with them. But what love is stronger and deeper than a child’s love for their mother? Initially thrilled by the idea of playing with the clouds, the child hesitates, then rejects the idea: 'But how could I get up there?' and 'Mother is waiting at home, how could I leave her?'

A mother’s love is a deeply profound and beautiful emotion, and this is what Tagore wishes to share with children around the world. Loving parents, loving siblings, loving the cozy home, and cherishing childhood memories — these are the tender feelings that fill the heart of a child speaking to the clouds. This is also the central emotion of 'Clouds and Waves'.

What could be more blissful than:

'I’ll be the cloud, you’ll be the moon'

'I’ll embrace your face with my hands, and our home will be the blue sky...'

As for the waves, a Vietnamese poet once wrote:

'The wave begins with the wind'

'Where does the wind come from...'

(Waves - Xuan Quynh)

In Tagore’s poem, the waves seem to be the messengers of the distant ocean, coming to the child. The waves whisper, calling to the child. Who hasn’t longed for adventure and dreams in their childhood? The waves softly speak to the child about a journey: 'We will sing from dawn till dusk, we will go forever', and then 'we will reach the shore... the waves will carry you away' to distant lands, to unknown horizons. This line describes the waves crashing onto the shore, licking the sand, pulling back, then crashing again, as the child watches the waves wistfully, with hesitation, following them into the distance.

The waves smile and dance, slowly drifting away. The child, while dreaming of traveling, hesitates. The child could not travel with the clouds (fly high), so they cannot travel with the waves (go far). For the child, there is only the mother, the highest, most sacred joy bestowed by nature: maternal love. The child cannot bear to leave the mother alone, to make her sad. The joy that fills the child’s soul shines brightly:

'I’ll be the wave, and you’ll be the sea'

'I’ll roll and roll like the waves, and my laughter will blend with yours.'

'And no one will know where we are...'

The line 'I’ll be the wave, and you’ll be the sea' carries deep philosophical meaning. Without the sea, there can be no waves. The sea creates the waves, just as a mother creates the child. When the waves crash, the sea sings. When 'the child’s laughter echoes in the mother’s embrace', the mother is overjoyed. Therefore, a happy child playing is a happy mother. In this way, the poet uses the imagery of waves and the sea to speak to the soul of childhood.

The uniqueness of the poem lies in its structure: two dialogues, one between the child and the clouds, the other between the child and the waves, with the tender voice of the child speaking to their beloved mother. A poem as pure and beautiful as clouds and waves, speaking about the deepest and most affectionate part of a child’s soul. Loving nature, having a rich imagination, and dreaming of adventure are the spiritual lives of children. The child in this poem loves their mother deeply. Though the child is still too small to fly with the clouds or travel with the waves, they have many dreams and longings to explore the world.

The sacred bond of motherhood has been an enduring source of inspiration for both writers and poets. In each literary work, this love is uniquely expressed, giving each piece its own distinctive essence. A powerful example of this eternal and divine motherhood is found in Rabindranath Tagore's poem 'Clouds and Waves,' and the depiction of a mother's nurturing care is symbolized through the image of the stork in Che Lan Vien's poem 'The Stork.'

Through the adventurous and humorous tale of the boy in 'Clouds and Waves,' readers witness an unbreakable bond of love, a love so powerful that nothing can replace it. The boy's deep connection with his mother causes him to resist the playful invitations of the clouds and waves. Though they invite him to join in their fun, from dawn until sunset, and show him how to explore distant lands, the thought of his mother waiting at home brings him hesitation. The boy chooses to create his own games, ones that allow him to stay close to his mother. The love his mother has for him holds him back from the temptations of the clouds and waves. While 'Clouds and Waves' beautifully illustrates maternal love, in 'The Stork,' Che Lan Vien expresses it even more clearly through the figure of a mother lovingly tending to her child.

In this poem, the mother nourishes her child with sweet milk and shapes the child's spirit with soft lullabies. The image of the stork, foraging for food, begins the poem with a familiar lullaby that every Vietnamese mother sings to her child. The poem also depicts the mother's late nights, facing hardship and challenges to care for her child. The lullaby conveys a sense of sorrow and struggle, as the mother sacrifices her own well-being to provide the best for her child. Che Lan Vien then explores the unchanging natural order, reflecting the universal hope of mothers everywhere: to see their children grow up, become successful, and make their mark on the world. This hope gives mothers strength, and no matter how their children turn out, they will always wish for them to remember their origins.

'Grow up, grow up, grow up… What will you do? You'll be a poet. The white stork will fly on, never resting, in front of the house, and in the cool breeze of words.'

While the stork in these verses may be hard for a child to understand, it represents a mother's protection and guidance, watching over the child and motivating them to grow strong as they journey through life. Even when the child becomes independent, the mother's love remains constant.

'Whether near or far from you, whether in the mountains or across the seas, the stork will find you, the stork will always love you. Even when you grow up, you will always be my child. No matter where you go in life, my heart will always be with you.'

This is the essence of motherhood — silent, yet boundless. Anyone who reads these lines cannot help but be moved by all that a mother has done for her child. She gives life and all of her love, and that is the most irreplaceable gift. Each poem has its own story, but ultimately, they all highlight the overwhelming love a mother has for her child, a love that no earthly force can replace.

Through these two poems, by two different authors from two different times and places, readers can see how priceless and eternal the bond of motherhood is. It is ever-present and lives on in the hearts of all people, which is why these works are so deeply heartfelt and poignant.

'The Things Dad Loves' is a remarkable poem by Nguyen Chi Thuat, which expresses the heartfelt emotions of a father towards his child. Through this poem, the father’s image emerges as sincere and filled with boundless love and affection.

What stands out first is the simple yet warm love of the father. He loves everything connected to his little child, from 'the place where you sleep' to 'the scattered diapers your mother hangs around the house,' and even 'the subtle scent of perfume.' In his heart and mind, the child holds an irreplaceable place.

Additionally, what touches me deeply is the father's journey of accompanying his child. From the very moment the child cried their first cry, the father was filled with joy and happiness. As the child grew, the father gently lulled the baby to sleep with comforting songs like 'À ơi, autumn breeze' or 'The bee makes honey,' 'The butterfly on the yellow flower.' Even when the child began to speak 'Mommy' or take their first steps, the father was always there, guiding them. The father was by the child’s side in every important moment of life.

Through the image of the father, I feel more grateful and appreciative of the noble love of parents. The father in 'The Things Dad Loves' reminds me of my own father, someone who always loves and cares for us.

Nguyen Chi Thuat, with his skill and delicacy, has masterfully painted the picture of a father through simple, familiar poetic imagery. Through this, the father stands out as a genuine figure with immense love and care.

Reading the poem 'À ơi tay mẹ' moved me deeply, especially the boundless love of a mother. Using the imagery of 'mother's hands' and the lullaby 'à ơi', the poet Bình Nguyên has beautifully depicted the hardworking and selfless mother.

First, I feel the deep love and sacrifice of the mother. In the face of life's storms, she uses her small hands to protect and shield her child: 'Mother's hands block the pouring rain / Mother's hands stop the storms from coming.' When the hardships pass, her hands gently soothe the child into a peaceful sleep. In her eyes, the child is always like 'the golden moon', 'the full moon', 'the little sun'. The mother sees the child as her source of life, as the light that warms her heart. Thus, she is willing to do anything for her child's happiness, peace, and joy. Even as the child grows older, the mother will continue singing lullabies, 'Even when the sea dries up and the mountains erode / À ơi, mother's hands will still sing a lullaby.' Through this, I have come to better understand the hardships and sacrifices of great mothers.

Moreover, I feel even more love and admiration for the mother's care and attention in 'À ơi tay mẹ'. She does everything she can to ensure her child has a joyful life. Despite challenges and hardships, the mother works tirelessly, cherishing every little thing, giving her child all the good things life has to offer without keeping any for herself: 'I sing to make the pain stop / À ơi... I never sing for myself.'

Through heartfelt verses and simple, relatable imagery, the poet gives a deep, touching portrayal of the sacred and noble bond of motherhood. Every time this poem is mentioned, readers will surely remember the image of the hardworking, loving mother. Through this, the poet also subtly reminds us all to cherish and respect our parents.

The poem 'The Sails' allows readers to feel the deep love a father has for his child.

In the beginning, the poet captures the image of a father and his child together:

'Father and child walk on the sand / The bright sun above and the blue sea below / The father's shadow long and slender / The child's shadow round and firm.'

Under the bright sunlight and the clear blue sea, the father is walking with his child on the sand. The contrasting yet endearing imagery of the father's long shadow and the child's round, firm shadow reflects the difference between the two generations—the father, now grown, and the still small child.

'After the rainstorm / The sand becomes smoother, the sea even deeper / Father leads his child under the pink morning light / Listening to the child's steps, the heart feels joy.'

After the night's rain, the sand becomes finer, and the sea appears even more vibrant. Nature is alive, full of energy. The father leads his child on the smooth sand, listening to the sound of the child’s steps, feeling his heart full of joy. The child’s innocent questions bring memories of the father's own past:

'Suddenly the child shakes his father's hand and asks softly: / 'Father, why do I only see water and sky over there, / No house, no tree, no people?'

The father smiles and pats the child's head: / 'Follow the sails and keep going to the distant place, / There will be trees, houses, and people there / Still our homeland / A place I’ve never been.'

The father patiently explains to the child about the vast world beyond. The deep love of the father for his child is evident here.

'The father leads the child on the fine sand / The sunlight bathes their shoulders / The father ponders, gazing at the far horizon / The child points to a distant sail and asks softly: / 'Father, may I borrow the white sail, / So I can go there!'

The child's words or the gentle whispers of the waves / Or the voice of the father from long ago / The first time before the boundless sea / The father meets himself again in the dream of his child.'

The image of the father leading the child is repeated, symbolizing the strong bond between them. We can also feel the father's deep emotions as he realizes that his own dreams, unfulfilled in his youth, are now being passed on to his child. The dreams the father once had are now entrusted to the child.

'The Sails' conveys the father's pride and joy when he sees that his child shares noble dreams. The image of the father in the poem stands out, full of profound love for his child.

The image of the father in the poem 'Rain' by poet Trần Đăng Khoa left a lasting impression on me. 'Rain' is a poem that describes a unique scene with simple yet memorable words, which powerfully depict the father as strong and great.

The poem depicts a world transformed by a sudden rainstorm. The descriptions of the weather reflect the harshness of nature: 'the sky – wearing black armor; the wind – roaring fiercely; lightning – slashing the sky; thunder – laughing boisterously.' Nature is anthropomorphized, almost as if teasing the human world and all of creation.

Amidst the chaos and the rush of everything being swept away by the rain, the image of the father stands out beautifully. The father's image is revealed in the line 'My father comes back from plowing':

My father comes back from plowing

Wearing thunder

Wearing lightning

Wearing the rainstorm itself

'My father' is just an ordinary farmer, but through these lines, he becomes extraordinary. He is depicted as someone who can 'wear thunder,' 'wear lightning,' and 'wear the entire rainstorm.' The repetition of the word 'wear' three times emphasizes the severity of the storm while also revealing the father's proud, heroic posture. The father, after a day of work in the fields, is shown carrying the plow and guiding the ox, emerging from the fierce, terrifying rainstorm. This image transforms the farmer into a grand figure, as resilient and powerful as a god who could withstand the forces of nature. In the eyes of the child, the father in the field becomes a heroic figure of great and awe-inspiring beauty.

The father in 'Rain' also represents humanity's resilience in the face of nature's harshness. As the rainstorm falls, everything is transformed: the sugarcane bends, ants flee their nests, termites scatter… Yet, only the human figure remains steadfast, continuing to work the land, mastering nature, making it serve humanity (plowing the fields).