1. Sample Essay 4
Motherhood is the most sacred and cherished love in life, one that we experience from our earliest years, even before we can fully understand love itself. Countless poems and songs have been written about this deep affection. One such poem is 'À ơi tay mẹ' by poet Bình Nguyên.
The poet uses the image of 'mother's hands' to symbolize the nurturing figure of a mother. These hands are described as performing magical feats:
'Mother's hands shield the rain'
'Mother's hands protect from storms during harvest'
Though ordinary in appearance, a mother's hands contain extraordinary power. This power stems from the profound love a mother holds for her child, as she shields them from 'rain' and 'storms'.
The poet also incorporates lullabies into the verses:
'Gentle are mother's hands'
'À ơi, sleep well under the golden moon'
'À ơi, sleep well under the full moon'
'À ơi, sleep well under the moon in the cradle...'
'Mother's hands work tirelessly'
'À ơi, here's the little sun, my child'
'Even when oceans dry and mountains erode'
'À ơi, mother's hands will continue to sing lullabies'
The mother cradles her child into a peaceful sleep, calling them 'the moon' and 'the little sun'. These endearing terms reflect her boundless love. To a mother, her child is like the moon or the sun, bringing life and light no matter the time of day. And, no matter the passage of time, a mother’s hands will forever embrace her child, with her lullabies always echoing. A mother's love is timeless.
Her soothing lullabies bring the child to restful sleep and influence the entire world around them:
'Lullabies make the autumn breeze soft'
'Lullabies melt the mist and the leaves'
Things that are eternal in nature are softened, melted, and moved by the power of a mother's song. The lullaby is full of deep, tender love:
'Lullabies fill the void with fullness'
'They carry the weight of love and longing from times apart'
Mother's hands work magic, not only soothing the child to sleep but guiding them along life’s path. These hands have endured countless hardships to bring this magic into the world:
'Hands that hold the magic'
'Forged through struggles and challenges'
A mother’s hands have labored endlessly, caring for the child throughout their life. For the child, those hands are magical, crafted through the trials and hardships of life. The simplicity of these two lines powerfully affirms the grandeur of maternal love and the miracle it creates. It also helps us better understand the sacrifices of motherhood.
The poem 'À ơi tay mẹ' offers profound reflections on maternal love, the most precious and cherished emotion in life.


2. Reference Article No. 5
The bond between mother and child is the most sacred love, felt even in our earliest days when we are still unaware of what love truly is. We first experience this love through the lullabies sung by our mothers. The lullaby 'À ơi tay mẹ' softly conveys this tender maternal love.
The poem begins with the image of the mother, portrayed with almost magical powers. The phrase 'mother's hands' represents the mother herself, capable of shielding her child from rain and storms, protecting them from harm.
Mother's hands block the pouring rain
Mother's hands stop the storms to preserve the crops
The lullaby continues with the sweet melody of the mother's voice, calling her child to sleep:
Still, mother's gentle hands
À ơi, the golden moon sleeps peacefully
À ơi, the full moon rests
À ơi, the moon rests in its cradle
Mother's hands are awake for a lifetime
À ơi, little Sun, my dear
Even when the seas dry and the mountains erode
À ơi, mother's hands still sing lullabies
Through these gentle lullabies, the mother calls her child 'the moon' and 'little sun,' symbols of purity and light. Her love shines as bright as the moon and the sun, giving warmth and light to her child's life.
A mother's love for her child is everlasting. Even when 'the seas dry up and mountains erode,' the lullaby will continue, following her child throughout their life. The magic of a mother's hands is boundless. They can calm the autumn breeze, dissolve the fog over the trees, and soften even the hardest elements with the soothing power of her lullaby.
Lullabies make the incomplete whole
The love and longing of those far away
Though a mother's hands may seem ordinary, even weathered with time, they possess the ability to perform miracles. Not only do they soothe her child to sleep, but they also nurture and guide them through every stage of life. These hands endure hardships, but in doing so, they create miracles for the child’s life.
Mother's hands hold miraculous powers
Crafted through years of hardship
These hands sing lullabies that calm the waves, protect the child from the rain, and soothe their journey. Yet, in the end, the mother never sings a lullaby for herself. She sacrifices, cares for her family, but never finds the peace to rest. The mother’s mind is always full of worries, never at ease.
Through the gentle rhythm of the lullaby, this poem captures the deep maternal love, as well as the struggles mothers endure to provide their children with the best life possible.


3. Reference Article No. 1
'À ơi tay mẹ' by Bình Nguyên is a poignant poem that beautifully captures the sacred bond between a mother and her child. This poem has left a deep impression on its readers.
The central image in the poem is the 'mother's hands.' The mother shields her child from the 'storms' of life:
"Mother's hands block the pouring rain
Mother's hands protect the crops from the storms"
With these images, readers can feel the extraordinary strength of a mother's love.
"Still, mother's hands are gentle
À ơi, the golden moon sleeps peacefully
À ơi, the full moon rests
À ơi, the moon lies in its cradle…
Mother's hands are awake for a lifetime
À ơi, little Sun, my dear
Even when the seas dry up and the mountains wear down
À ơi, mother's hands continue to sing lullabies"
The repetition of 'à ơi...' gives the poem the tone of a gentle lullaby, awakening the reader's nostalgia for childhood. The mother calls her child 'the moon' and 'little sun,' illustrating the importance of the child in the mother's life. The child is a beacon of hope and life for the mother. Readers recognize that the mother cherishes her child, seeing them as pure as the full moon and as bright as the sun, bringing warmth and light to her life. This love, everlasting and unyielding, remains despite the 'seas drying up and mountains eroding.'
The next lines deepen our understanding of the value of a mother's lullabies:
'Lulling the autumn breeze to rest
Lulling the misty fog over the trees'
Natural elements, eternal and timeless, now 'soften' and 'dissolve' under the sweet lullaby of maternal love.
'Lulling the incomplete to wholeness
The love and longing that weighs the days of separation'
The mother's hands, rough and weathered from years of labor, still carry a magical touch. These hands have endured countless hardships to create the miracle of life for her child:
'Mother's hands hold miraculous power
Crafted from years of hardship'
A mother works tirelessly for her family, for her child, yet perhaps never takes the time to rest. Her mind is always full of thoughts, never at peace.
Reading this poem, readers feel deeply moved by the sacrifices mothers make. It encourages us all to love and appreciate our mothers even more deeply.


4. Reference Article No. 2
Many works have been written about the love of a mother. However, the poem 'À ơi tay mẹ' by Bình Nguyên resonates with me more deeply than others.
In the poem, the author uses a symbolic image – 'the hands' – to speak of the mother. These magical hands provide a protective shield for the child:
"Mother's hands block the pouring rain
Mother's hands protect the crops from the storms"
These are just ordinary hands, yet they seem to possess extraordinary power. This power comes from the profound love a mother has for her child. She protects her child from 'rain' and 'storms of the seasons.'
The following lines imbue the poem with the soothing rhythm of a lullaby, reminding readers of their own childhood:
"Still, mother's hands are gentle
À ơi, the golden moon sleeps peacefully
À ơi, the full moon rests
À ơi, the moon lies in its cradle…
Mother's hands are awake for a lifetime
À ơi, little Sun, my dear
Even when the seas dry up and the mountains wear down
À ơi, mother's hands continue to sing lullabies"
Who hasn't heard their mother's heartfelt, sweet lullaby at least once in their life?
"Lull your child, let him sleep long
While I go to the fields far away
Lull your child, let him sleep soundly
While I toil in the fields and labor away
Lull your child, let him sleep deeply
While I work with my hands in the fields"
In 'À ơi tay mẹ,' the mother calls her child 'the moon' and 'the little sun.' This demonstrates the deep affection a mother has for her child. To her, the child is as bright as the moon and as warm as the sun, providing life and light no matter the time of day. Despite the changes in the world, a mother's hands will always cradle her child, and her lullaby will forever be sung. A mother's love is unchanging.
This sweet lullaby grants the child peaceful sleep, and it affects everything around them:
"Lull the autumn breeze to softness
Lull the mist to fade from the trees
Lull the incomplete to wholeness
The love and longing heavy from days apart"
And a mother's hands work miracles. They not only lull the child to sleep, but they also guide the child through life's journey. These hands have endured countless hardships, yet they create such miracles:
"Mother's hands carry miraculous power
Crafted through years of hardship"
These two short lines capture the immense, powerful love of motherhood, capable of creating miracles. They also allow us to better understand the struggles of a mother.
Reading this poem, the reader feels the depth and sacredness of a mother's love. Bình Nguyên's 'À ơi tay mẹ' evokes a sweet, poignant emotion that stays with the reader.


5. Reference Number 3
The bond of motherhood is the most sacred human emotion. One of the most beautiful poems about this feeling is "À ơi tay mẹ" by Bình Nguyên.
The poem opens with magical imagery of a mother's hands. The poet employs a metonymy, using "mother's hands" to symbolize the mother herself. The mother shields her child from the "storms" of life:
"Mother's hands block the rain
Mother's hands guard the harvests through the storms"
This is the extraordinary power of a mother. The following lines sound like a lullaby from the mother to her child:
"Still, mother's hands are gentle"
"À ơi, sleep well, my little moon"
"À ơi, sleep well, my full moon"
"À ơi, my moon rests in the cradle..."
"Mother's hands watch over for a lifetime"
"À ơi, my little sun, sleep tight"
"No matter how the oceans dry or mountains crumble,
À ơi, mother's hands will continue to rock you."
The lullaby, filled with tender love, lulls the child to sleep. The mother refers to her child as "the moon" and "the little sun." These metaphors reflect the child's importance to the mother. The child brings hope and life to the mother. Through these words, we feel the mother's love, cherishing her child like a full moon or a warm sun that brightens her life. This love is eternal, no matter how the world changes. Even as "seas dry and mountains erode," the lullaby of a mother will follow the child in every step of their life.
The lullaby seems to possess a mystical power that affects everything around it:
"Lull the autumn breeze to soften,
Lull the mist and dew off the leaves."
Things that are constant in nature now "soften" and "melt" under the influence of a mother's love.
"Lull the incomplete into completeness,
The longing, the yearning, the heavy days apart."
Over time, a mother's hands may grow calloused and wrinkled. Yet, these same hands have performed miracles, cradling the child into peaceful sleep and lifting them through life's challenges. Those hands have endured countless hardships to work their magic:
"Mother's hands carry magic"
"Worn by time, yet full of care."
A mother struggles her whole life, caring for her child and family, but perhaps never allowing herself the luxury of rest. Her mind is always full of concerns, with no moment of peace.
The poem "À ơi tay mẹ" beautifully expresses the sacred love of a mother for her "little sun." It also captures the poet's deep empathy for the hardships and sacrifices mothers endure.


