Top 11 Best Essays Analyzing the Poem "Tiếng gà trưa" by Xuân Quỳnh

For a long time, we have been familiar with the lively, warm, and sincere poetic voice of Xuân Quỳnh. In "Tiếng gà trưa," we once again encounter that very same emotional tone. The poem reflects the poet's deep and heartfelt love for her homeland through the symbolic image of the sound of the midday rooster. This sound evokes memories, sacred emotions, and a peaceful place for the human soul.

The midday rooster's crow is a simple, familiar sound of rural Vietnam. It brings to mind the peaceful life, the joyful labor, and the warmth of farmers working year-round behind the village bamboo fence. With fresh and passionate emotions, Xuân Quỳnh has breathed a divine beauty into this sound, representing the childhood memories of soldiers marching. It stirs the midday heat on the soldiers' paths.

This sound brings the soldier back to his beautiful childhood, as though it strengthens his tired feet and fills his heart with deep emotion. In this sense, the rooster's crow is the call of the homeland, family, and village, forever imprinted in the heart of the soldier and becoming part of his journey.

"Cục...cục tác cục ta

Nghe xao động nắng trưa

Nghe bàn chân đỡ mỏi

Nghe gọi về tuổi thơ".

In the second stanza, among the twenty-six lines, the line "Tiếng gà trưa" is repeated three times, reminding the soldier of his beloved grandmother, who cherished every pink egg. The pink eggs, the crowded chickens.

"Tiếng gà trưa

Ổ rơm hồng những trứng

Này con gà mái mơ

Khắp mình hoa đốm trắng

Này con gà mái vàng

Lông óng như màu nắng."

The sound of the midday rooster in the small village brings the soldier back to memories of his beloved grandmother. Childhood spent with her is filled with memorable moments, with a child’s curious observation of the hen laying eggs, followed by his grandmother’s scolding, fearing that his face would darken. The soldier's heart is filled with worry:

"Tiếng gà trưa

Có tiếng bà vẫn mắng

Gà đẻ mà mày nhìn

Rồi sau này lang mặt

Cháu về lấy gương soi

Lòng dại thơ lo lắng

Khi gió mùa đông tới

Bà lo đàn gà toi

Mong trời đừng sương muối

Để cuối năm bán gà

Cháu được quần áo mới."

The prominent image in these verses is the grandmother, who lovingly and carefully cares for her grandchild. She sacrifices so much to ensure her grandchild has new clothes, even though they may be modest, but they hold so much meaning.

This simple yet deeply familiar verse, with its details of the rural village, represents memories that never fade from a child's mind. The grandmother's concern is profoundly moving: the chickens could die from the cold winter dew, and her grandchild might not have new clothes.

"Ôi cái quần chéo go,

Ống rộng dài quết đất

Cái áo cánh trúc bâu

Đi qua nghe sột soạt"

After selling the chickens, the soldier’s grandmother would go to the market to buy him beautiful clothes. Her boundless love was always directed toward her grandchild. Childhood spent with her is full of unforgettable memories. The fourth time the rooster's crow is heard, it calls forth the soldier's dreams.

"Tiếng gà trưa

Mang bao nhiêu hạnh phúc

Đêm cháu về nằm mơ

Giấc ngủ hồng sắc trứng."

The simple yet sacred sound of the midday rooster evokes beautiful feelings in the soldier’s heart as he marches. It symbolizes the homeland, the beloved motherland. The rooster's crow is not merely the sound of an animal, but the call of childhood, of love, of memory—a sound that stays with the soldier throughout his life. It lingers, echoing in the poet’s heart, in the dreams of youth.

This sound has imprinted itself into the child's memory, filled with a gentle yet profound emotion, for it is linked to the pure and noble love of the grandmother. That is why the soldier fights:

"Cháu chiến đấu hôm nay

Vì lòng yêu tổ quốc

Vì xóm làng thân thuộc

Bà ơi, cũng vì bà

Vì tiếng gà cục tác

Ổ trứng hồng tuổi thơ."

The repetition of the word "vì" emphasizes the soldier's reason for fighting. It is for the beloved homeland, for the village where his childhood was rooted, and for the endless love of his grandmother, represented by the familiar sound of the rooster. The two words "bà ơi" are spoken with such longing and warmth, both sacred and passionate.

It is as if the words rise from the deepest part of the heart, an uncontrollable emotion. The rooster's crow is also the call of love, of family, of the homeland. This beloved call serves as a beacon of hope for the soldier as he fights to protect his cherished land.

This poem showcases the deep emotional connection between the frontlines and the home front. Despite the hardships and the destructive power of bombs, the memories of his grandmother and the sound of the rooster never die; they remain forever alive, stirring within the soldier's heart.

The poem "Tiếng gà trưa" is a profound, poignant note in the soldier's journey. But it is also a symbol of memories, of an unbreakable bond between grandmother and grandchild, and of the enduring spirit of love. Through the use of repetition and simple yet emotional imagery, Xuân Quỳnh has conveyed her deepest feelings to the reader.

Time always brings change according to the natural course of years, but one thing remains constant – the emotions sparked by childhood memories that everyone holds. For Xuan Quynh, that memory is the crowing of the rooster, "cuc...cuc tac cuc ta," echoing the peaceful days spent with her beloved grandmother. Through her deep affection for her grandmother, readers can deeply feel the poet’s love for her homeland.

This poem was written in 1968, during the early years of the fierce and challenging American War. In this time, the poet chose to draw inspiration from a moment on a long military march:

On the long march

Stopping by a small village

A rooster calls out:

"Cuc... cuc tac cuc ta"

The rooster’s crow on this journey brings forth emotions of nostalgia and longing. As the rooster's call echoes, the poet senses:

The afternoon sun seems to tremble

Feet feel less weary

It calls back to my childhood

The repeated use of the word "hear" at the beginning of each line highlights the profound emotional stirrings of the poet. The rooster’s crow has such a powerful impact that it seems to make the sun's rays shiver, or perhaps it is the poet’s own emotions that make the sun appear to waver.

With just the sound of that crow, all the exhaustion of the journey fades away as memories of childhood flood the mind, easing the weariness of the march. Suddenly, the poet recalls vivid childhood images:

The noon rooster

The hen’s nest full of eggs

This hen with spots of white like flowers

This hen, yellow as the sun

Her feathers shining like golden light

And a voice of the grandmother still scolding:

- Look at those hens laying eggs!

They will soon be sold, you’ll see!

Grandchild, be sure to use the mirror

Worrying about you, innocent and anxious

The poet recalls those simple yet meaningful childhood memories, the hens with their white speckles and golden feathers, and the scoldings of her grandmother. Those memories remain etched in her heart, symbols of love and care. Her grandmother's deep affection is reflected in these actions:

The noon rooster

Her hands cupped, collecting eggs

She carefully saves them

For the hen to hatch

The grandmother’s gentle hands cupping the eggs is a beautiful, tender image of a hardworking, caring woman who tends to her chickens and provides for her family with great love and effort.

Every year, as winter winds arrive

The grandmother worries about the chickens

Hoping the frost won’t come

So she can sell them at year’s end

To buy new clothes for her grandchild

The trousers are wide and long

The shirt rustles as it sways

When walking, it makes a swishing sound

The grandmother places all her hope in the chickens, fearing the frost will harm them, but wishing to sell them at year’s end to buy her grandchild new clothes. The clothes are simple, yet each item represents her grandmother's silent sacrifice. The wide pants that sweep the ground, the shirt rustling with every step, all symbolize the love and care hidden in these humble gifts.

These simple, beloved items are not just clothes—they represent the sacrifice and love the grandmother has for her grandchild. This love is ever-present, symbolized by the noon rooster:

The noon rooster

Brings so much happiness

At night, I dream

Of dreams full of eggs, rosy and warm

And from these personal family memories, Xuan Quynh generalizes a greater theme of love for the homeland:

Today, I fight

For the love of my country

For my dear village

Grandmother, I fight for you too

For the rooster’s crow

For the nest full of eggs, my childhood

We can imagine the soldier’s emotions, shaped by childhood memories, now filled with passion as they march on. Xuan Quynh asserts that the reason for fighting today is to protect the homeland, to protect her grandmother, and the peaceful childhood memories she holds dear.

"The nest full of eggs from childhood" is not merely a memory but a symbol of the peaceful village that was shattered by the American invasion. The poet affirms that her fight today is to preserve her homeland and safeguard the tranquility of every home in the country.

Through simple words and images, the poem speaks directly to the heart, expressing the deep affection between the grandmother and grandchild intertwined with the love for the homeland.

Xuân Quỳnh (1942-1988) was a renowned poet famous for works such as "The Boat and the Sea"; "Waves"; "Noon Rooster's Crow"... expressing a deeply affectionate and tender heart. The poem "Noon Rooster's Crow" was written in the early years of the American War of Resistance. The crowing of a rooster at noon symbolizes the sound of home, family, and village that remains deeply embedded in the hearts of soldiers, becoming a companion for the young soldiers heading to the battlefield.

The sound of a rooster crowing... cục... cục tác cục ta breaks through the stillness in the small village. The rooster's crow is a simple, familiar sound from rural life, one that stirs deep emotions in a soldier. It brings him back to the beautiful days of his childhood, giving him strength to keep moving forward:

Cục...cục tác cục ta

Listening, the noon sun stirs

Feels like the feet are less weary

Reminds me of childhood

In the second stanza, out of twenty-six lines, the crowing of the rooster is mentioned three times, evoking many cherished memories. The distant crow of the rooster reminds the soldier of his dear grandmother, who carefully preserved each pink egg. The image of the rooster and the eggs, a vivid scene with many chickens and bright colors, is drawn:

Noon rooster's crow

Golden straw, pink eggs

Here is the mother hen

Her feathers speckled with white spots

Here is the yellow hen

Her coat shining like sunshine.

The rooster scene painted by Xuân Quỳnh is particularly vivid. Golden straw rolls around pink eggs, the mother hen's feathers mix shades of white, black, and pink, while the yellow hen shines brightly in the sun. The grandmother and grandchild feed the chickens, watching them peck at grains around the yard.

The grandchild counts the chickens in the yard. As the rooster crows, the soldier remembers his beloved grandmother. Childhood memories spent with her are vivid—her gentle scolding when the grandchild watched the hen lay eggs. The grandchild recalls those moments of worry:

Noon rooster's crow

With grandmother's scolding

You watch the hen lay eggs

Afraid you'll get a scar on your face

Grandchild goes to check the mirror

Childish worry fills the heart

The grandchild will never forget the image of her bent back, gently inspecting the eggs... she "labored" and "preserved" each pink egg for the hen to hatch, while also fearing the winter frost:

When the cold wind comes

Grandmother worries about the chickens

Hoping the frost won't come

So at the end of the year, the chickens will be sold

And the grandchild will get new clothes.

This simple yet deeply intimate verse captures the familiar details of village life and the never-fading memories of childhood. The grandmother's concerns are truly moving, as the chickens could die from the frost, and her grandchild might not receive new clothes.

Oh, the brown pants

The wide cuffs brushing the earth

The green bamboo jacket

The sound of it rustling as I walk

The grandchild still remembers after every chicken sale, when the grandmother goes to the market to buy a beautiful set of clothes for her beloved grandchild. Her love is constant and unchanging. Growing up beside her was a period filled with unforgettable memories.

The fourth time, the rooster crows again. The rooster's crow signals the soldier's dreams of youth.

Noon rooster's crow

Brings so much happiness

That night the grandchild dreams

The dream filled with the pink of eggs.

The simple, sacred crow of the noon rooster evokes deep emotions in the soldier as he marches off to war. It is a sound that represents the homeland and motherland, forever cherished.

The grandchild fights today

For the love of the country

For the beloved village

Grandmother, also for you

For the rooster's crow

For the pink eggs of childhood

The poem contains three striking lines—"Golden straw, pink eggs"; "Dreams filled with the pink of eggs"; "The pink eggs of childhood"—each depicting the happiness of childhood and family. The image of the grandmother stays in the soldier's mind as he marches off to battle.

Lưu Trọng Lư, hearing "The rooster crows in a mournful cry," recalls the deep black laughter and red clothes of his dear mother, long gone. Bằng Việt, far from home, remembers his grandmother through the sounds of the summer cuckoo and the warm fireside where she carefully tended the embers. Xuân Quỳnh’s poem, "Noon Rooster's Crow," evokes memories of grandmother through the rooster's mournful cry at midday.

"Noon Rooster's Crow" is a beautiful and sweet poem, filled with longing. The rooster's call is a tender reminder of the grandmother, mother, and homeland, a reassuring sound that gives the soldier strength as he fights to protect his beloved country.

When we think of war, we often imagine the danger and the brutal violence of warfare. Many authors, when writing about the theme of war and soldiers, tend to depict the intense, fierce nature of combat or create heroic images of brave soldiers.

However, Xuân Quỳnh, with her sensitive soul, approaches the topic of war differently. Rather than portraying the violence of war, she explores the emotional and spiritual life of soldiers, showing their inner struggles as they are sent to the battlefield. Her poem 'The Noon Chicken Sounds' vividly reflects this aspect.

At the beginning of the poem, Xuân Quỳnh introduces a moment in the soldiers' journey. After a tiring march, they take a rest in a small village. The sounds of life from the village bring back memories of their childhood and evoke a strong sense of nostalgia for their homeland:

“On the long road of marching

Stopping by a small village

The sound of a chicken nesting

Cuc… cuc tac cuc ta”

The sound of the chicken nesting in the small village touches the spirits of the soldiers. It is a familiar and warm sound, tied to the everyday life and childhood memories of each person. Therefore, hearing the sound of the chicken lifts the weariness of the soldiers' journey, bringing forth vivid memories from their youth:

“The noon sun stirs up

My feet feel lighter

Bringing back memories of childhood”

Not just the sound, but also the vivid images that the soldiers observe stir emotions. The image of haystacks with red eggs and the vibrant colors of the hens creates a living, breathing picture of life amidst the battlefields. The world of war seems pushed to the background, leaving only a vibrant, peaceful scene:

“The noon chicken sound

Red eggs in the haystack

There’s the hen with flowers on her feathers

There’s the golden hen

Her feathers gleaming like sunshine”

Even more touching is the way the sound and image of the chicken stir the soldiers’ memories of their beloved grandmother. The simple, intimate image of the grandmother emerges in the soldiers’ minds as they recall their moments together, invoking nostalgia and warmth:

“The noon chicken sound

Grandmother’s voice scolding

‘Stop staring at the hens laying eggs,’ she says

‘Later, you’ll get a crooked face’

‘Go home and look in the mirror,’ she worries

Her love is full of warmth, full of concern”

The grandmother appears as a tender, familiar figure, a moment of love and care that transcends the harshness of war. In this brief moment of peace, amidst the chicken’s call, the soldiers experience the love of family—especially the bond between grandmother and grandchild—reminding us that even in war, love and family can still offer warmth and comfort.

Xuân Quỳnh is a poet of everyday happiness, expressing the intense feelings and aspirations of a sincere and gentle woman. Her poetry covers a wide range of topics, such as love for the homeland, familial bonds, maternal love, and romantic love between couples.

The poem “Noon Rooster” was written during the early years of the resistance against the U.S., blending family emotions with the stories of the era. The love for her grandmother intertwined with the love for the country, enriching the affection for her homeland.

The emotional flow of the poem moves from the present to the past and then back to the present again. This shift in time reflects the movement of the poet's emotions. At the beginning of the poem, with a gentle, natural tone and concise, poignant words, Xuân Quỳnh paints a picture of a soldier on a long journey, resting in a village at midday, hearing the rooster crow and suddenly thinking of the cherished memories of his childhood with his beloved grandmother:

“On the long march

.... Hearing the call of my childhood”

The rooster's crow is depicted in great detail “cục...cục tác cục ta,” evoking a sense of familiarity and comfort for the soldier. This sound stirs deep emotions within the heart of the listener. The repetition of the word “hear” three times, along with metaphorical imagery that transitions between sensations, “hearing the disturbance of midday sun, hearing the tired feet, hearing the call of childhood,” affirms the powerful reach of the rooster's crow. It not only affects the external environment and physical sensations but also penetrates deep into the soul, awakening childhood memories that seemed to be forgotten. The soldier’s childhood memories and his bond with his grandmother come flooding back.

The soldier’s memories of childhood are portrayed in a simple and innocent manner. These include images of haystacks filled with eggs, a white-spotted hen, and a golden hen with feathers shining like the sun. The affectionate “hey...hey” calls, along with vivid descriptions of the animals, reveal the intimate connection the soldier has with these images.

These memories also include the mischievous act of secretly watching hens lay eggs, being scolded by his grandmother, and the innocent worry about the threat of wolves. The pure and clear memories of childhood are unforgettable for the soldier. These memories also carry the joy of wearing new clothes. Reliving these innocent and joyful moments gives the soldier new strength and motivation for his battle.

The poet describes many details of rural Vietnamese life, creating a sense of closeness and warmth. Alongside the childhood memories, the sacred and profound relationship between the soldier and his grandmother is evoked through the noon rooster.

“Noon rooster/Grandmother’s hands gently holding the eggs

...At the end of the year, selling the rooster/Grandchild gets new clothes.”

The image of the grandmother, hardworking and diligent despite poverty, gently holding eggs and protecting the chickens from the cold, hoping the winter frost won’t damage the eggs so her grandchild can have new clothes, expresses the love, care, and dedication she has for her grandchildren. The sacred, deep affection between grandmother and grandchild moves the heart. We treasure the grandmother's selfless sacrifice to care for her grandchildren, and we feel sympathy and gratitude for the grandchild’s respect and love for her.

The noon rooster not only awakens beautiful childhood memories but also resonates with the profound love between the grandparent and grandchild. This rooster also symbolizes happiness and the dreams of a bright future. All these elements push the soldier to continue fighting for a noble cause:

“Grandchild fights today

...For the eggs of childhood”

The repetition of the word “because” four times in one stanza emphasizes the soldier's purpose. The soldiers abandon their pens to go to war not for themselves but for everyone— for the country, for the village, for the grandmother, and for the rooster’s crow. The objects listed move from high, noble ideals to more concrete, simple, and familiar purposes. This shows how familial love enriches the soldier’s love for the homeland.

The noon rooster is the constant thread that runs through the poem, evoking memories, emotions, and serving as the soldier's driving force. Each time the rooster’s crow is repeated, a deep, emotional resonance is felt.

With a gentle, tender, and heartfelt tone, Xuân Quỳnh’s poem “Noon Rooster” evokes the sacred, touching love between grandmother and grandchild, which becomes the driving force to cultivate love for the homeland. The poem seems to uncover a deep, hidden memory of the poet's own difficult but warm childhood spent with her grandmother. Understanding the poem more deeply stirs a sense of sorrow and compassion within us.

"Tiếng gà trưa" by Xuân Quỳnh is a beautiful poem. It has affirmed its value and vitality over time. The poem stands out with its emotional flow and the resonating sound of the rooster crowing, anchoring itself deeply in the reader's heart. The sound of the rooster crowing is a prominent symbol that appears and dominates the entire piece.

The poem begins with the sound of a rooster Cục.. .cục tác cục ta, reverberating, stirring the soul of the soldier on the march to the battlefield:

The rooster calls from its nest:

Cục...cục tác cục ta

Heard amidst the noonday heat

Relieving tired feet

Calling back to childhood memories.

With just one rooster call in the brief moment, a flood of emotions surges, undoubtedly this sound has carved itself into the poet’s soul. The repetition of the word “hear” expresses vividly the overwhelming emotions rising, like an invisible thread holding the rooster's sound deep in the spiritual realm, resonating in memories, stirring up peaceful, warm recollections of the past.

This is a childhood filled with feelings of longing and hardship: the absence of mother, the absence of father, and living with grandmother. The soldier's main emotional support comes from his old, hardworking grandmother in a poor rural village. The absence of his parents is compensated by the love of his grandmother. In his memories, the grandmother's love contains both a mother's boundless affection and a father's sternness.

The thin, frail body of the grandmother embraces all the emotions that life did not afford the soldier's childhood. She had to take on duties, emotions, and love to make up for the spiritual losses, shortages, and traumas in her grandchild's life. The soldier soon realized the weight of all the burdens and difficulties resting on his grandmother's weak, fragile shoulders.

Out of love for her grandchild, she poured all her care, concern, and nurturing to make sure he would grow up to be a good person. Hearing the rooster's call, the author imagines the image of the grandmother bending over to incubate eggs:

Saving each egg, carefully

For the mother hen to hatch.

The poet also reads the grandmother's worry when winter comes:

She fears the chickens will die

Hoping for no frost and dew

So that by the end of the year, the chickens can be sold

And the grandchild gets new clothes.

In the fields of childhood memories, the voice of the grandmother still echoes as a gentle reminder, tending to the little details, always taking care of her grandchild’s appearance. Isn't that a mother’s tender advice, filled with love? Her scolding is full of affection. Everything seems etched in the sweet nostalgia. Through the sound of the rooster, we see the grandmother’s tough, hardworking life. It means that all the childhood memories and the grandmother-grandchild bond are tied to the sound of the rooster.

Alongside the childhood memories is the image of golden hens, their nests filled with rosy eggs, as beautiful as silk paintings. Imprinted in the poet's heart is the shimmering sunlight reflecting off the white spots on the hens’ feathers, and the curious childhood moments of sneaking peeks at hens laying eggs.

And then there are the childhood hopes of getting new clothes from the money earned by selling the chickens. The word “oh” expresses a deep longing for the hardships of those years, an unforgettable struggle. The simple, familiar, and rustic sound of the rooster suddenly becomes sacred and meaningful in the poet's soul as it is connected to the love between grandmother and grandchild, and to the homeland.

But all of this is just the surface of the iceberg, representing the sincere and intimate emotions of everyday family life. The visible part of the poem is still the deep, clear affection between the grandmother and grandchild, full of tender love. The hidden part, beneath the surface, is the rooster's call, symbolizing peaceful, happy life, representing abundance and growth, bustling and serene, in a crowded rural village.

This is also humanity's eternal desire. The poem was written during the early years of the resistance against the American invaders, when the enemy was actively destroying the peaceful life of the nation. While we fought the enemy, that sound became a shared hope, a noble meaning of the struggle. Every time the sky and earth were filled with gunfire and bombs, even a little peace was probably the greatest desire of mankind.

The sound of the rooster became a common hope for all people during the war. It was also the shared emotion of the era, the righteous strength of the nation fighting the brutal enemy. The poem is also a call to encourage the strength of the battle. The deeper message the poet wishes to convey is in that sound. Once again, through the sound of the rooster, we find the poet’s image of a citizen with an epic quality, alongside the human side, the private life expressed in the final verses:

The grandchild fights today

For the love of the Fatherland

For the familiar village

Grandmother, I fight for you too

For the rooster's call

And the rosy eggs of my childhood

Turning to grandmother to confide, the poetic subject has thus revealed their deep, longing emotions, their love, respect for the grandmother, and the reasons for going to war. The repeated “for” in the beginning of each line, together with specific phrases indicating purpose, highlights the poem’s profound and grand message.

From the sound of the rooster’s call, the poet has guided the emotional flow from the bond between grandmother and grandchild, childhood memories, to a unified love for the homeland. Interwoven with familial love is the love for the community, for the nation. We fight to protect the land, to keep peace for every home, so that the rooster's call may echo forever.

The poem “Tiếng gà trưa” was written by the female poet during the early years of the resistance against the American war, and it was published in the poetry collection “Hoa dọc chiến hào” (1968). The poem consists of 43 lines, 39 of which are five-syllable lines, and 4 lines have three syllables. The phrase “Tiếng gà trưa” is repeated four times, resonating deeply in the hearts of soldiers marching to battle, like a call from their beloved homeland.

The emotions flow from the present, nostalgic and wistful, drifting back to childhood memories filled with touching moments about chickens and the rosy eggs, and about the loving grandmother. These emotions deepen the soldier's love for his homeland. “Tiếng gà trưa” is a sound that echoes from family, from the village, and becomes the belongings of the young soldier. The first seven lines express the soldier's feelings while marching away from home.

The sound of the chicken jumping to its nest: “Cục... cục tác cục ta” rises in a small village. The sound of a chicken jumping into its nest is a familiar and simple sound of rural life, passed down through generations. To the young soldier, it is deeply moving. The afternoon chicken’s crowing stirs the midday sun and the soldier's spirit. It gives him renewed strength and evokes memories of his childhood. The word “hear” is repeated three times with a delicate shift in perception, making the verse sound sweeter, more heartfelt, and emotional:

“Cục... cục tác cục ta

Hear the stirring midday sun

Hear the feet grow less tired

Hear the call back to childhood”

The second part of the poem contains 26 lines. The phrase “Tiếng gà trưa” is repeated three times, an ever-present sound evoking memories of a time long past. When the soldier hears the afternoon chicken’s crowing, he remembers the pink eggs in the hay nest and the bustling chickens that his grandmother had lovingly raised. It’s as if we are looking at a very vivid, beautiful painting of chickens, not the old Dong Ho painting:

“Tiếng gà trưa

The pink eggs in the hay nest

Here’s the gray hen

Covered with white flower spots

Here’s the golden hen

With feathers as shiny as the sun”

Xuân Quỳnh's color coordination is remarkable. The bright, refreshing color palette of the chicken painting includes the pink of the eggs, the white spots on the gray hen, and the “sunlight-like” golden hen. The balanced structure, with the word “here” repeated twice: “Here’s the gray hen... Here’s the golden hen...”. We can feel the hands of the grandmother and grandchild pointing out and counting the hens searching for food in the familiar backyard.

When the soldier hears the chicken’s crowing in the village, he feels a deep yearning for his grandmother. How can he forget “the scolding” of his grandmother for sneaking peeks at the chickens laying eggs? Afraid of being reprimanded: “Go take a mirror and look - The innocent heart full of worries”. He will always remember the image of “her hands cradling the eggs...”. His grandmother’s hard work “carefully saved” every rosy egg for the hen to incubate. The poem recalls the grandmother’s love and her hopes:

“When the winter wind arrives

Grandmother worries the chickens will die

Prays for no frost or dew

So that at year’s end, she can sell the chickens

And buy new clothes for the grandchild”

Xuân Quỳnh’s poetry often shines through the simplest details that are so vivid and poetic. These include “the rosy eggs in the hay nest”, and the image of “her hands cradling the eggs”. Also, the “rustling” sound of new clothes:

“Oh, the pants are wide at the ankles

The long legs drag along the ground

The blouse with folded sleeves

Rustling as it moves”

As the proverb goes: “Elders get a bowl of soup, children get new clothes.” Will the grandchild ever forget the pants with wide cuffs, the blouse with folded sleeves that his grandmother bought after selling the chickens? The love of a grandmother creates the happiness of childhood. The poet’s verse blends beautifully into everyday life with simplicity and innocence. From associations, the poet transitions to reflections. For the fourth time, the phrase “Tiếng gà trưa” sounds again. The chicken’s crowing calls back to the dreams of childhood for the soldier:

“Tiếng gà trưa

Bringing countless happiness

At night, I dream

The sleep filled with the pink hue of eggs”

The afternoon chicken’s crowing, simple yet sacred, stirs deep feelings in the soldier marching off to war during the resistance against the American invasion:

“I fight today

For the love of the homeland

For the beloved village

Grandmother, it’s also for you

For the chicken’s crowing

For the rosy eggs of childhood”

The poem “Tiếng gà trưa” has three of the most beautiful lines: “The hay nest with rosy eggs”, “The sleep filled with the pink hue of eggs”, “The rosy eggs of childhood”. All of these lines speak of joy and happiness. The word “rosy” serves as an adjective, functioning as a complement, making the poetic imagery both beautiful and expressive. Over 60 years ago, in the new sunlight and the echo of the rural afternoon, “the morning crow of the chickens” stirred the poet Lưu Trọng Lư to reflect on his childhood and the memory of “the dark black smile” and the red dress of his mother, who has long passed away.

Bằng Việt, while studying abroad, gazed at the smoke from a foreign ship and longed for his childhood, the sound of the cuckoo bird, the memory of his grandmother, and the warm kitchen fire lit by her hands. In Xuân Quỳnh’s poem, hearing the afternoon chicken’s crowing, the soldier remembers his grandmother and the rosy eggs of childhood.

Xuân Quỳnh has found a new way to express the memories of childhood and the deep love between a grandmother and grandchild in the context of national love. “Tiếng gà trưa” is a heartfelt and sweet poem. The chicken’s crowing also echoes the sound of the homeland, a symbol of the rear guard’s love for their soldiers during the anti-American resistance. It’s beautiful and poetic.

1. General Introduction to the Poem and the Poet

• Author: Xuan Quynh (1942-1988) is one of the renowned female poets in modern Vietnamese literature. Her poetry is often sincere, simple, but rich in emotion and reflection.
• The Poem: "The Rooster's Noon Cry" is one of Xuan Quynh's exemplary works, written during the period of resistance against the American war, with deep expressions of family affection and love for the homeland.

2. Detailed Analysis of the Poem

The opening of the poem:

On the road far away
Stopping by a small village
The rooster jumps back to the nest:
"Cuckoo... cuckoo, cuckoo"

• Space and Time: The poem begins by introducing the reader to a peaceful noon scene, with the familiar sound of a rooster jumping back to the nest. This peaceful rural setting contrasts with the hard journey, creating a poignant atmosphere.
• The sound of the rooster: The rooster's call "cuckoo… cuckoo, cuckoo" acts as a signal recalling childhood memories, evoking beautiful and serene recollections.

Stanza 1:
Listen to the noon sun
Listen to the tired feet
Listen to the return to childhood.

Rising emotion: The rooster’s call brings up childhood memories, soothing the soldier’s exhaustion on the march. The repetition of "listen" emphasizes the powerful impact of this sound on the soldier's soul.

Stanza 2:
The rooster’s noon cry
Oh, the rooster's noon cry
...
The child returns to collect eggs
The child receives a gift from grandmother.

Grandmother and childhood memories: The rooster's cry brings back the peaceful childhood memories with the grandmother. She symbolizes love, care, and cherished memories.
Simple joy: The childhood memory of "returning to collect eggs" and "receiving gifts from grandmother" is simple but meaningful, reflecting the joy of a loving family.

Stanza 3:
Every year, every year
When the cold winds arrive
Grandmother worries about the chickens


Love and care: Grandmother always worries about the chickens when the winter winds come, symbolizing her attention and care for the family.
Familiar imagery: The familiar images such as "the cold winds" and "the chickens" evoke a peaceful and affectionate rural scene, bound by love.

Stanza 4:
Grandmother’s hands curve
Cover the warm egg nest
...
Her voice like the song of a bird.


Silent sacrifice: Grandmother’s hands "curved to cover the warm egg nest" symbolize care and silent sacrifice. Her warm voice, like the song of a bird, brings a sense of calm and peace. Unbounded love: The image of grandmother reveals her silent sacrifice and boundless love for her grandchild.

Final Stanza:
The child fights today
For the love of the homeland
...
For the dear village.

Love for the homeland: The childhood memories with grandmother and the images of the rural village have become the driving force for the child to fight and protect the country.
Connectedness: Family bonds, love for the homeland, and a sense of duty to the nation are strongly intertwined, expressed through the soldier's determination and fighting spirit.

3. Conclusion
Content:

• The poem "The Rooster’s Noon Cry" not only recalls beautiful childhood memories with the affection between grandmother and grandchild, but also expresses love for the homeland, gratitude, and responsibility towards the country.
• The rooster’s cry becomes a symbol of childhood, family love, rural life, and the silent sacrifice of the grandmother.

Artistic Elements:

• Familiar, simple imagery: Familiar images like the rooster’s cry, grandmother, straw nests, and chickens are vividly depicted, creating a peaceful and warm rural landscape.
• Simple, sincere language: The language is straightforward and sincere but full of emotion, easily touching the hearts of readers.
• Repetitive structure: The repetition of the words "listen" and "the rooster’s noon cry" creates a steady rhythm, emphasizing the strong effect of this sound on the soldier's soul.

Xuân Quỳnh (1942 – 1988) is a beloved female poet, known for her vibrant, youthful, and deeply emotional poetry. Coming from a rural background, she often wrote about simple, familiar topics of everyday life, such as family love, love for the homeland, and the beauty of nature. Her first poetry collection, Tơ tầm – Chồi biếc (published in 1963), quickly drew attention for its fresh and unique style. Over her more than twenty years of writing, she created several poetry collections that left a lasting impression on readers.

The poem "The Noon Rooster's Call" was written during the early years of the Vietnamese resistance against American imperialism. After suffering a major defeat in the South, the U.S. forces began bombing the North in an attempt to destroy the country’s vital support base.

Amidst the fierce battle, millions of young people headed to the front with great determination. The poetic narrator in the poem is a soldier marching towards the South, and the poem invokes memories of childhood and the love of a grandmother. Family and homeland connections add depth to the soldier's patriotism.

The poem is deeply imbued with nostalgia. The feeling of homesickness is natural for the young soldiers, who, at such a tender age, had to abandon their studies to take up arms and fight. This longing is simple yet profound. Even the unexpected sound of a rooster crowing in a small village during a brief rest brings a flood of memories.

The rooster's crow interrupts the midday stillness, stirring both the air and the soldier’s heart. The repetition of the word 'hear' in the poem expresses a heightened emotional response from the soldier:

As we march along the distant road,

Stopping in a small village,

The rooster calls out in its old nest,

Cluck... cluck-ta, cluck-ta.

We hear it stir the midday sun,

We hear our tired feet feel refreshed,

We hear it call us back to childhood,

The village home comes alive in our minds, with memories of childhood vividly resurfacing. The rooster’s crow reminds the speaker of the old thatched nests and the hens that laid eggs. It also recalls a moment of youthful curiosity when the child watched the hens lay eggs, receiving playful scolding from the grandmother. The poem's imagery conjures memories of the grandmother, a devoted and hardworking figure in the speaker’s life.

The rooster’s call carries with it the simple joys of family and childhood, as well as the deep affection the speaker has for their grandmother, who always put others' needs before her own. The child, now a soldier, recalls how the grandmother wished for their chickens to be spared from disease so that the family could sell them for clothes in winter. The wishes of the child, symbolized by the rooster's call, reflect the timeless bond of love within the family:

The rooster's crow

Brings so much happiness,

At night, I dream of it,

Sleeping in the glow of the egg’s warmth.

Through the vivid recollections sparked by the rooster’s call, Xuân Quỳnh conveys the pure and innocent soul of a rural child, as well as the deep respect and love they feel for their grandmother. The relationship between the child and grandmother becomes an integral part of the soldier’s identity as they march towards the front lines, fighting for their homeland:

The child fights today

For the love of the nation,

For the familiar village,

Grandmother, I fight for you too,

For the rooster’s crow,

And the warm nest of childhood.

The final verse expresses a soldier’s heartfelt message to his beloved grandmother, linking the personal bond between family and the broader patriotism towards the homeland. Through simple and everyday language, the poet creates an emotionally resonant narrative, expressing the deepest human values that transcend time and conflict.

Reading Xuân Quỳnh’s poem "The Noon Rooster's Call" reminds us of the Russian writer Ilya Ehrenburg’s wise observation: "A stream flows into a river, the river flows into the great Volga, and the Volga flows into the sea." The love for home, the village, and the countryside naturally grows into a love for the country.

Xuan Quynh is a prominent female poet in modern Vietnamese literature. She often wrote about the simple, familiar aspects of everyday life. Her poetry is known for its vibrant, youthful tone, boldness, and rich lyrical qualities. "The Rooster's Noon Call" was written during the early stages of the anti-American war, expressing a deep love for the country and its homeland, with a special focus on the affection between grandmother and grandchild.

The poem is written in a flexible five-character verse form, with alternating rhyming and non-rhyming lines. This style is well-suited for recounting memories and experiences.

On the long march ahead,

Stopping by a small village,

The rooster's call echoes:

"Cluck... cluck, cluck-ta-ta"

The rooster's call at noon leaves a deep mark on the soldier's heart, tied to memories of childhood. In the midst of the many sounds of the countryside, the soldier hears the rooster's call most clearly. On a quiet summer afternoon in a village, the soldier draws strength from the rooster's call.

"I hear the noon sun stir,

I hear my tired feet relieved,

I hear the call to my childhood."

The repetition of the word "hear" in the first three lines emphasizes the emotional resonance of the rooster's call. Through a metaphorical shift of senses, substituting hearing for seeing, the rooster's call stirs the entire atmosphere and the soldier's soul, awakening memories of childhood.

The two lines "I hear the noon sun stir" and "I hear the call to my childhood" have metaphorical meanings, while the line "I hear my tired feet relieved" is more literal. The shift in word order creates a varied rhythm and avoids monotony, expressing the soldier's emotional turmoil. The rooster's call is felt through multiple senses and deep emotional connection.

The opening lines of the poem are simple and straightforward, like a lullaby, but they bring a sense of purity, liveliness, and closeness to the reader. With each mention of "The Rooster's Noon Call," memories of childhood are evoked:

"The rooster at noon,

The straw nest, the eggs,

This young hen,

Her feathers speckled with white,

This golden hen,

Her feathers shining like sunlight."

After a narrative line, there comes a descriptive one, creating a pair of verses. The repetition of the word "This" directs the listener's imagination. The adjectives "white", "golden", and "shining" evoke vivid, bright colors, painting a picture of a splendid rooster family. The poet also uses a simile, "Her feathers shining like sunlight," to highlight the rooster's radiant beauty.

The poet surprises the reader by not describing the rooster's call directly, but instead mentioning the unexpected appearance of "the straw nest with eggs," symbolizing the miraculous power of the rooster's noon call.

The poem "The Noon Rooster" by Xuân Quỳnh was written during the early stages of the anti-American resistance war. It reflects the author's fond childhood memories, particularly those related to her beloved grandmother. The rooster’s crow at noon evokes not only the nostalgia of childhood but also illuminates the present and future through the author’s deep love for her homeland and country.

Similar to many works written in the early years of the anti-American resistance, this poem also focuses on the overarching theme of love for the nation and the encouragement of the fighting spirit of our people. While the poem contains personal memories of the poet, the central figure is a soldier marching to the front. The individual voice of the poet merges naturally with the collective voice of the nation and its entire generation, creating an experience that is both intimate and sacred, deeply moving.

The poet’s inspiration stems from hearing the crow of a rooster while resting in a small village along the way to the battlefield. This common, familiar sound—of a rooster crowing at noon—brings to mind vivid images and cherished memories of childhood. The rooster’s call is connected to the poet’s childhood, reminding her of the hens she once knew, the golden-colored ones from her youth.

The noon rooster’s call is also tied to the loving grandmother who cared for the poet. The rooster’s crow reminds the poet of the small hopes and dreams, such as wishing for new clothes to celebrate the Tet festival, funded by selling the chickens. The rooster’s call accompanies the soldier’s journey into battle, deepening his emotional connection to his homeland.

The small village along the soldier’s march remains unnamed, its location unspecified by the poet. However, the sound of the rooster is clear, real, intimate, and heartfelt, evoking great emotion in the soldier. The repeated use of the word “hear” three times in the poem echoes like a prophetic call of the rooster.

The rooster’s call breaks the oppressive heat of noon, easing the soldier’s exhaustion and awakening sweet memories of childhood, bringing the soldier back to those carefree, innocent days. The opening stanzas create a peaceful atmosphere, in stark contrast to the suffering and hardships faced by soldiers every day on the front lines.

After the rooster crows in the present moment, the next few stanzas bring forth beautiful memories of childhood. The repeated refrain of “noon rooster” brings back endearing and beautiful recollections of youth. Through the verses, we journey with the soldier as he relives moments filled with the love and care of his grandmother. This childhood is woven with memories of the hens, the scolding the poet received from her grandmother for watching the hens lay eggs, and the image of the grandmother gently gathering the eggs. It is also filled with the warmth and tenderness of the grandmother’s heart and the simple wish for new clothes.

As we read, the tender emotions evoked by the pure childhood memories grow stronger. Through delicate, pure lines of poetry, the image of the grandmother emerges as a beautiful, gentle figure, like a fairy. She poured all her strength and love into her grandchild, working tirelessly and carefully tending to each egg and each chick, much like nurturing the simple dreams and happiness of her young grandchild.

The image of the child in new clothes, rustling with each step, is both deeply moving and heartfelt. These aren’t just new clothes; they symbolize the child’s joy and gratitude, as well as the grandmother’s boundless love and care for her grandchild.

After the rooster’s fourth crow, the soldier turns inward, reflecting on his feelings. Through this expression, the poet not only reveals a deep longing for her distant grandmother but also conveys her understanding of the responsibility of a soldier holding a weapon.

Xuân Quỳnh employs a flexible and creative use of the five-character verse form. The repetition of the phrases “noon rooster” and “hear” connects the sections of the poem and sets the rhythm for the emotional ups and downs of the soldier’s inner world. The language of the poem is simple and clear, yet deeply moving.

The noon rooster thus becomes a symbol of homeland, of loved ones, and of the entire nation at that time, urging the soldier onward. From the poet’s childhood memories filled with love for her grandmother, the poem expands to express love for the country, reminding soldiers to hold their weapons firmly, to continue advancing, to protect peace for their families, and to safeguard the cherished memories of their innocent youth.