Top 6 insightful analyses of the final stanza of the poem 'Visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum' by Viễn Phương (Grade 9) - Mytour.vn

The Lotus Tower is the most beautiful when the lotus flower blooms.

Vietnam is the most beautiful with the name of Uncle Ho.

The verses by poet Bảo Định Giang paint a vivid picture of the moral character and virtues of the great President Hồ Chí Minh. The Vietnamese people will forever take pride in having such a revered father who dedicated his whole life to the country. Many artists have composed beautiful verses to honor Uncle Ho, and one of the most moving poems is 'Visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum' by Viễn Phương. This poem represents the poet's deep reverence and tribute to the beloved Uncle Ho. The poem concludes with the following emotional lines:

'Tomorrow, I'll return to the South, tears will flow.'

'I want to be a bird singing around Uncle Ho's mausoleum.'

'I want to be a flower spreading fragrance all around.'

'I want to be a bamboo tree, embodying loyalty and devotion.'

'Visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum' was written by Viễn Phương during his visit to Uncle Ho's final resting place. It expresses sincere emotion, love, deep gratitude, and longing for Uncle Ho. In the last stanza, the poet reveals his sorrowful farewell as he returns to the South.

Love is the pain of losing a revered father, a sorrow so deep it brings tears, shared by the entire Vietnamese nation. This sorrow and grief for Uncle Ho is so powerful it touches the hearts of heaven and earth:

'Through many long nights of painful farewells,'

'Life pours tears, the sky pours rain.'

In this moment of sacred emotion, standing before Uncle Ho's greatness and sacrifice, the poet is deeply moved and willingly offers his life:

'I want to be a bird singing around Uncle Ho's mausoleum.'

'I want to be a flower spreading fragrance all around.'

'I want to be a bamboo tree, embodying loyalty and devotion.'

With every step, the poet looks back with longing, reluctant to leave. The power and moral values of Hồ Chí Minh keep the poet's heart with him. The repeated phrase 'I want to be' reflects the poet's mixed feelings of nostalgia and longing, yet filled with hopes and wishes. The poet wishes to be a bird, bringing joy to Uncle Ho every day, a flower whose fragrance enriches life, and a bamboo tree standing beside him, guarding his sleep. This is also a vow to live according to Uncle Ho's teachings. Viễn Phương expresses the collective wish of all Vietnamese people to stay close to Uncle Ho, growing in his presence:

'We stand by him, he shines through us.'

'I suddenly grow beside him a little.'

The poem 'Visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum' was written in 1976, during a time of national peace and reunification, when the poet had the chance to visit the mausoleum. It reflects the respect, love, and sorrow felt by the poet and the people of the South upon visiting Uncle Ho. The poem has been set to music by several composers, with the most famous being Hoàng Hiệp, who created a song with the same title.

The last stanza expresses the poet's longing and wishes after visiting Uncle Ho, as well as his determination to return to the South to continue building and defending the country, particularly the resilient and fiery South.

'Tomorrow, back in the South, tears will flow,

I want to be a bird singing around Uncle Ho's Mausoleum,

I want to be a flower spreading fragrance here,

I want to be a bamboo tree, loyal and true, in this place…'

When the poet had to leave the North and the mausoleum, he could no longer contain his emotions, and tears began to flow. The previous stanzas conveyed intense feelings, but it is only in the last stanza that these feelings pour out completely. The expressive language reveals the overwhelming emotion at its peak. From this emotion, the poet expresses his wishes:

'I want to be a bird singing around Uncle Ho's Mausoleum,

I want to be a flower spreading fragrance here,

I want to be a bamboo tree, loyal and true, in this place…'

The repetition of 'I want to be' quickens the rhythm of the poem, helping to express the poet's intense desire. This yearning is revealed through beautiful and evocative images like 'singing bird', 'fragrant flower', and 'loyal bamboo tree'. All these symbols are meant to beautify the place where Uncle Ho rests, and they symbolize the poet's desire to offer his finest qualities to ensure Uncle Ho’s peaceful rest.

Words like 'here', 'in the mausoleum', and 'this place' further emphasize the poet's wish to remain close to Uncle Ho, reluctant to part. This deep yearning also reflects the collective longing of many people, as expressed in the poem:

'We stand beside you, and you shine upon us,

We grow a little when we are near you.'

Viễn Phương also felt this when he stood by Uncle Ho. One of the most striking images in the final stanza is the 'loyal bamboo tree', which reminds us of the 'bamboo grove' mentioned at the beginning of the poem. These two images—'bamboo grove' and 'loyal bamboo tree'—create a tight structure from beginning to end. Just as each individual is like a loyal bamboo tree, the entire nation is one united bamboo grove standing with Uncle Ho. The poet reiterates the image of the 'bamboo tree' to emphasize the deep loyalty and commitment to Uncle Ho. This is not just the poet’s wish, but the wish of the entire nation.

Following the poet Viễn Phương's journey from when he arrived at the mausoleum to his departure, we see a continuous emotional development that intensifies. The sorrow grows and reaches its peak in the final stanza, mirroring the feelings of all Vietnamese people.

The poet never aspired to do anything grand or extraordinary, but only wanted to be a 'singing bird' or a 'fragrant flower'. These simple, humble images encapsulate everything the poet desires—just to be close to Uncle Ho. The 'bamboo tree' in the first stanza symbolizes resilience and strength, while the 'loyal bamboo tree' in the final stanza is a personification representing the poet’s sincere respect and loyalty, and by extension, the whole nation's devotion to Uncle Ho.

While in the earlier stanzas the poet refers to himself as 'I' or 'son', in the final stanza the subject is not mentioned explicitly. It is not that the poet no longer speaks of himself, but now the speaker represents all the children of Vietnam, not just the poet. The final stanza conveys a sense of farewell and distance, not in terms of physical space or time, but in the shared spirit of loyalty and devotion.

'Visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum' conveys the poet’s deep respect and emotion as he visits the mausoleum. The poem has a solemn tone, rich in metaphorical and evocative imagery, yet its language remains simple and concise. It represents the heartfelt gratitude and reverence of the people toward the beloved leader who devoted his life to the nation’s cause.

In the first stanza, the poet introduces himself as a son from the South visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum. However, in the fourth stanza, the poet's sentiment of reluctance to leave is evident. As he contemplates his return to the South and the separation from Uncle Ho and Hanoi, the poet's emotions, no longer hidden, are expressed openly. This stanza conveys the poet's deep longing and desire to remain by Uncle Ho's side. It is a sincere wish, a solemn promise from the poet to Uncle Ho, and also reflects the yearning of the Southern people, as well as all of us, to follow the noble ideals and revolutionary path laid out by Uncle Ho:

"Tomorrow, returning to the South, tears will flow"

"I wish to be a bird singing around Uncle Ho's Mausoleum"

"I wish to be a flower spreading its fragrance here"

"I wish to be the bamboo tree standing firm in this place… ”

The final stanza brings closure to the pain and losses the nation suffered upon hearing of Uncle Ho's death in 1969. Only the tears of the poet, who visited too late, remain: Tomorrow, returning to the South, tears will flow. When thinking about returning to the South, the sorrow overwhelms him, and tears flow. These are not just teary eyes but truly heartfelt, intense emotions.

The line "Tomorrow, returning to the South, tears will flow" is like a farewell. Simple words convey deep, affectionate feelings. The term "overflow" expresses the powerful, lingering emotion, not wanting to leave the place where Uncle Ho rests. This is not only the poet’s sentiment but that of millions of hearts. Being close to Uncle Ho, even for just a moment, is something no one wants to leave, for he is too warm and too vast.

The poet desires to be a bird, a flower, a tree, but all these wishes center around being near the mausoleum, around it. The bird offers its song, the flower its fragrance, and the bamboo tree stands watch over the peaceful slumber. The repetition of "I wish to be" along with these beautiful natural images of the bird, the flower, and the bamboo express the poet's fervent longing. These desires convey the poet's reverence, not just from a son of the South, but from all the people of Vietnam toward Uncle Ho.

Most especially, the desire to "be the bamboo tree standing firm in this place" symbolically places the poet within the expansive row of bamboo guarding Uncle Ho's eternal rest. The image of the bamboo is symbolic, once again emphasizing the beginning and end of the poem, adding depth and creating a lasting impression. The image of the bamboo row around Uncle Ho's Mausoleum reappears in the final line with added significance, creating a complete and fulfilling emotional experience.

The "loyal bamboo tree" is a metaphor symbolizing infinite loyalty and reverence for Uncle Ho, a promise to follow the revolutionary path he charted. This is a promise not just from the poet but also from the Southern people and all of us as a nation.

The fourth stanza of the poem "Visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum" expresses personal feelings that are also universally shared. The poet writes a series of lines without subjects, emphasizing the repetition of "I wish to be" three times, symbolizing an unceasing desire. It is the yearning of those who have visited the mausoleum, and also of those who have never been but whose hearts are always directed towards Uncle Ho.

After the deep emotions of a child visiting their father for the first time, it is now time to part. The poet Viễn Phương conveys this farewell sentiment in the last stanza of the poem “Visiting Uncle Ho’s Mausoleum,” filled with sincere wishes.

Written in 1976, after the American war ended and the country was reunified, the mausoleum of President Ho Chi Minh had just been inaugurated. The poet visited the North and paid his respects at Uncle Ho's mausoleum. The poem expresses a sacred sense of respect, gratitude, and pride mixed with the sorrow of a person from the South visiting Uncle Ho. The journey has come to an emotional moment of departure, reflected in the moving verse:

“Tomorrow I return to the South, tears flow with love.”

This verse is not only a poetic expression but also a farewell from a child to his father, the moment of parting filled with profound emotion. The simple words reflect the poet’s deep affection for Uncle Ho, as well as the feelings of everyone who has to leave the mausoleum. The word “flow” describes a powerful, lingering emotion, reluctant to leave the place where Uncle Ho rests. This is the shared feeling of millions of hearts, united in their sorrow, just as the poet feels. Even for a brief moment spent near Uncle Ho, we never want to part because he is too warm and vast. However, whether we wish it or not, the sacred moment of meeting Uncle Ho must come to an end.

Within this emotional farewell, Viễn Phương expresses his sincere wishes, which resonate with the hopes of all those who have, or have not, had the chance to meet Uncle Ho:

“I wish to be a bird singing around Uncle Ho's mausoleum”

I wish to be a flower spreading fragrance here”

I wish to be a bamboo tree, loyal and steadfast in this place”

What precious wishes these are! The poet desires to be a bird, bringing the sounds of nature, beauty, and purity to where Uncle Ho rests. He wishes to be a fragrant flower, offering pure beauty, or a bamboo tree, symbolizing loyalty, guarding Uncle Ho’s peaceful rest. The image of the bamboo tree is indeed a beautiful symbol, skillfully placed at the poem’s conclusion. At the beginning, the poet also uses the image of a bamboo grove when entering the mausoleum, which represents the Vietnamese people and their nation. But the poem ends with the image of a loyal bamboo tree standing guard over Uncle Ho’s peaceful slumber. The bamboo tree, like a soldier, remains there day and night. This image creates a fitting structure, linking the beginning and the end. The repeated phrase “I wish to be” conveys both the poet's longing and his sincere, voluntary desires. These wishes come from the depths of Viễn Phương's heart.

The final stanza of the poem reflects the poet’s deep yearning to remain by Uncle Ho’s mausoleum, never wanting to part from the place where he rests. It is also a prayer from Viễn Phương to live a meaningful life, becoming a flower offering to Uncle Ho.

The poem "Visiting Uncle Ho's Mausoleum" conveys the deep emotions and gratitude of Viễn Phương, a poet from the South who first visited Hanoi and joined the crowd to pay respects to Uncle Ho. The structure of the poem is like a journey, describing the moments when the author stands before the mausoleum, waits in line, and stands before Uncle Ho's remains. The last stanza of the poem marks the end of this journey, expressing Viễn Phương's feelings of farewell as he returns to the South:

Tomorrow, returning to the South with tears in my eyes

Wanting to be a bird singing around Uncle Ho's mausoleum

Wanting to be a flower spreading fragrance here

Wanting to be a bamboo tree, loyal and true to this place.

The first line of the verse expresses overwhelming emotions, as if tears are welling up in the eyes: "Tomorrow, returning to the South with tears in my eyes". The word "thương" (love, sorrow) is deeply embedded in the Southern dialect, capturing a sense of affection, sorrow, and respect. The line seems to choke with emotion, full of regret, longing, and respect. In the following verses, the poet expresses his desire to be a bird, a flower, or a bamboo tree, simple, everyday things linked to nature, representing a deep affection for Uncle Ho. The repetition of "wanting to be" three times in a rhythmic pattern emphasizes the author's sincere, passionate desire. These symbols reflect a beautiful Vietnamese tradition of loyalty and respect for the beloved leader. Though the poet returns to the South, his heartfelt admiration remains with Uncle Ho's mausoleum. The poem, especially the last stanza, resonates with the emotions of all Vietnamese, marking the eternal presence of Uncle Ho in their hearts.