Top 7 Essays Analyzing the Poem 'The One Who Seeks the Shape of Water' (Literature 11)

The poem 'The One Who Seeks the Shape of Water' is one of the most remarkable works by poet Chế Lan Viên. It tells the story of the journey taken by the talented leader Hồ Chí Minh to find the path to save the country. This journey was filled with countless hardships and challenges. With his extraordinary talent, Chế Lan Viên crafted a poem that moves readers deeply with its emotional intensity.

After thirty years of traveling abroad, working under various identities and roles, Hồ Chí Minh endured tremendous suffering and hardship. Yet, through a single stanza, Chế Lan Viên painted a vast picture of the world that speaks to the heart of every reader.

“The country is incredibly beautiful. But Uncle must leave”

The opening line of the poem captures the essence of two contrasting paths, where both parts seem contradictory, yet they are logically connected: driven by love for the country and an unwillingness to see the people in slavery, he must embark on a journey to restore the country's independence and freedom. The beginning of the journey is filled with overwhelming emotions as the young man sets sail, carrying the weight of his love for the homeland:

As the shores recede, the familiar villages fade

Not a single bamboo grove in sight.

As the familiar shores, villages, and bamboo groves of the homeland fade away into the horizon, it marks the moment Hồ Chí Minh must leave, beginning his journey to seek the path that will bring independence and freedom to his people. In that first night away from his country, the deep longing for his homeland becomes palpable:

“The first night away from home, who could sleep?”

The phrase “who could sleep” reflects the clash between conscious thoughts and subconscious feelings. The poet expresses the restlessness of a revolutionary who is always concerned for the people and the nation. Chế Lan Viên embodies the soul and essence of this character, reflecting the emotional journey of the one who departs:

The waves beneath the ship are not the waves of my homeland

The sky here is not the blue of my country

Far from home, I feel the pain of my people and country more deeply

As the journey unfolds, Hồ Chí Minh begins to understand the pain of his people and his nation. This understanding drives him forward, pushing him through the immense hardships and challenges of his mission.

The image of the young revolutionary, the patriot, is portrayed in the first two stanzas of the poem. The poet does not present this character as grand or heroic, yet he conveys the deep revolutionary ideals and patriotism of the young man.

In these stanzas, the image of the twenty-year-old revolutionary, crossing the vast oceans to find the way to save the country, is depicted humbly and simply, yet it becomes a noble example, contrasting with the narrow, confined lives of those trapped in slavery:

We sleep in narrow beds

Our dreams crush our lives

Happiness is contained in a beautiful robe

A roof that casts a shadow over our soul

The journey of this young patriot is marked by a clear and resolute goal and ideal, never vague.

The path of the entire nation

A path of honor for twenty-five million people.

These lines, rich in thought, evoke a sense of the great character and intellectual depth of the era. The poet guides us to follow the difficult path of the young revolutionary as he fights for the nation’s liberation. In recounting the life of Hồ Chí Minh during his years of struggle abroad, Chế Lan Viên chooses powerful, expressive details, using vivid metaphors:

Do you remember, in the freezing cold of Paris

A red brick, Hồ Chí Minh defied the harsh winter

And in the fog of London, do you recall

The drops of sweat that fell from him in the dead of night?

Reading these lines again, we are deeply moved and filled with admiration for Hồ Chí Minh! His journey to save the country, filled with countless difficulties, is a testament to the burning revolutionary spirit within him, the desire to find a path to liberate the country.

In the course of events, Chế Lan Viên encapsulates Hồ Chí Minh’s life with a poetic language that is both lyrical and sharp, blending wisdom with a remarkable style.

The world’s history has witnessed the monumental moments of the Russian October Revolution in 1917. Hồ Chí Minh’s journey to save his nation is illuminated by “the Russian sun shining brightly in the East.” This sunlight guided him to Leninism. It was as if the shape of the nation began to emerge as Hồ Chí Minh read Lenin’s works:

Lenin’s thesis reached Hồ Chí Minh. And he wept

Hồ Chí Minh’s tears fell on the pages of Lenin

The four walls stood still as he flipped through each page, quickly

Outside, the country waited for news

The uniqueness of these verses lies in how Chế Lan Viên infuses political events with deep emotion, breathing life into a historic moment in Hồ Chí Minh’s journey to save his country.

These tears of love for the country are sacred! Even those who have read Hồ Chí Minh’s autobiographical work ‘The Path That Led Me to Leninism’ cannot fully appreciate the poetic genius and emotional depth that Chế Lan Viên brings to this narrative! Throughout Hồ Chí Minh’s journey to save his country, this is the first tear of infinite happiness, dispelling all the anxieties of the people since he left his beloved homeland:

Hồ Chí Minh exclaimed to himself as if speaking to the nation

“Food and clothes are here! Happiness is here!”

The image of the Party is entwined with the image of the nation

The first tear was also the first smile of Hồ Chí Minh

Some have argued that Hồ Chí Minh’s discovery is akin to a scientist finding the truth. It is worth noting that Hồ Chí Minh found a historical truth: it was patriotism that led him to Marxism-Leninism, and he believed that only Marxism-Leninism could help oppressed nations, including Vietnam, to successfully fight for national liberation.

The young patriot overcame numerous obstacles to find the correct path, bringing independence and freedom to Vietnam. Through the revolutionary romantic verses, Chế Lan Viên paints a bright future for the nation. The author’s perspective aligns with that of the patriotic figure in the poem, both united by their love and optimistic belief in the positive changes of tomorrow:

The enemy has been driven away. The sky turns into a song

The electricity follows the moon into the workers’ rooms

The simple folk have become intellectuals

The laborers have become heroes

The image of the Vietnamese people and the country stepping onto the stage of glory with an extraordinary radiance:

The thousand-year-old thatched roof turns red, replacing the tiles

The everyday lives now have flowers casting shadows

The poem expresses profound gratitude for Hồ Chí Minh’s monumental role in the creation of a new Vietnam. From the historical events and the journey of Nguyễn Ái Quốc seeking the path to save the country, Chế Lan Viên has created a unique artistic image: The One Who Seeks the Shape of Water. This poem, with its lofty ideals and great style, represents the voice of the nation and the era.

Chế Lan Viên did not write the poem 'The One Who Seeks the Shape of Water' when teacher Nguyễn Tất Thành departed from the Nhà Rồng harbor, but 49 years later (in 1960), the poem was published in the collection 'Light and Alluvium' by Văn học Publishing House. The poem was also a meaningful gift from the author to Uncle Ho on his 70th birthday (May 19, 1960).

'The One Who Seeks the Shape of Water' is Chế Lan Viên's finest work about President Ho Chi Minh. Throughout the poem, we follow the journey of a young revolutionary, as the Latouche Tréville ship carries him across vast oceans, with years of struggle in pursuit of freedom. He travels to 'lands of freedom, skies of slavery,' until he finds 'the Shape of the Party within the Shape of the Water'...

Chế Lan Viên wrote this poem after reflecting on the 30 years Ho Chi Minh spent searching for a way to save the nation, enduring hardships and challenges. It recounts how, during that time, Ho Chi Minh encountered 'the Russian sun shining brightly in the East' and realized: 'The doctrine reached Ho Chi Minh. And he cried'... Ho Chi Minh brought Lenin's light back to Vietnam, leading the people in the August Revolution (1945), reclaiming Vietnam's 'Shape of Water'—its sacred name on the world map:

Vietnam, we call ourselves again
What greater happiness than rebirth
(Following Uncle Ho - Tố Hữu)

Furthermore, the poem was inspired by President Ho Chi Minh's memoir written for the 90th anniversary of Lenin's birth (April 1960), 'The Road That Led Me to Leninism.' A remarkable aspect of the poem is that Chế Lan Viên expressed his own emotional reflections, 'embedding' his thoughts and feelings into the verses. In a time of national suffering, while the country was in turmoil and its people enslaved, some individuals remained indifferent to the fate of the nation:

We sleep in narrow beds
Our dreams crush our lives
Happiness is contained in a beautiful garment
A peaceful home casts its shadow upon our souls.

At the poem's beginning, Chế Lan Viên writes: 'The country is incredibly beautiful. But Uncle Ho had to leave'...

He left at a time when the country was drowning in suffering, during the final years of the weak Nguyễn Dynasty, when patriotic movements led by scholars responding to King Hàm Nghi's call for resistance, such as Phan Đình Phùng, Hoàng Hoa Thám, and Phan Bội Châu's movements, were suppressed by French colonial forces, resulting in deadlock and failure. At this time:

So many paths people take, stepping forward
A big question: Where to go?
Five continents stretch, the sky silent
Ancient scriptures have faded.
(Tố Hữu)

The failure of the patriotic movements at the end of the 19th century stemmed from several reasons, the most critical being the lack of a unified political party and clear leadership direction. Ho Chi Minh left to find a correct path, a way to lead the people to expel foreign invaders and win independence.

And during that journey, 'As the shores faded and the villages vanished/All around, no shadow of bamboo,' the patriotic love of teacher Nguyễn Tất Thành surged, and he felt:

The waves beneath the ship are not the waves of home
The sky from here is not the color of our land
Far from home, we understand the nation's suffering...

In a foreign land, Ho Chi Minh's heart ached for the people who had lost their homeland, the suffering of his people under the yoke of slavery, and his heart broke as the nation was immersed in grief. Chế Lan Viên captured these emotions in moving verses, voicing the love and devotion of the people for Ho Chi Minh:

How can we understand the hearts of great leaders
Who find the way for the people to follow.

The journey of the young revolutionary was driven by a specific and burning political goal, not an illusion or fantasy. What Ho Chi Minh sought was 'Not the shape of a statue carved into stone/... Or some distant, ethereal figure' but 'The Shape of the Water'; the stance, the standing of the country and its people, Vietnam:

The stance of the entire nation
A glory for twenty-five million people.

In that journey, the young revolutionary Nguyễn Tất Thành endured hardship, deprivation, and cold, working to survive, to move forward, and to engage in revolutionary activity. Chế Lan Viên encapsulated the revolutionary path of Ho Chi Minh in those years abroad in emotional lines:

Do you remember, oh winds of Paris
A single brick, Ho Chi Minh defied an entire winter
And the fog of London, do you remember
Ho Chi Minh's sweat drops in the dead of night?...

Overcoming countless hardships with a passion for revolution, the young patriot Nguyễn Ái Quốc finally discovered 'The Russian sun shining brightly in the East'; and his greatest happiness was when he encountered Lenin's thesis on national and colonial issues:

The thesis arrived for Ho Chi Minh. And he cried
Ho Chi Minh's tears fell upon the word Lenin...

'Ho Chi Minh's tears fell...'—a poetic image so beautiful! This was the first time Ho Chi Minh cried during his quest for national salvation, and his tears, as a patriot, were sacred, moving anyone who witnessed them! The brilliance of Chế Lan Viên is that he infused such deep emotions into this historical moment, turning it into an overwhelming expression of joy that touches every reader's heart!

After 'Ho Chi Minh's tears fell...', the next verse brought a joyful cry:

Ho Chi Minh cried out, as if speaking to the nation
'Here is the food and clothes! Happiness is here!'
The Party's shape within the shape of Water
The first cry of Ho Chi Minh was the moment he laughed...

'Ho Chi Minh laughed...'—the verse sounds like the ringing of laughter, evoking the pure joy of someone who has suffered so much, only to have their happiness burst forth! The joy is immense, for it is not only his, but the happiness of an entire people! Ho Chi Minh cried and laughed—such a romantic and beautiful poetic image!

The young patriot Nguyễn Ái Quốc rejoiced, deeply moved by his discovery of the historical truth—that Marxism-Leninism was the key to liberating oppressed peoples around the world, and only Marxism-Leninism could help the Vietnamese people defeat foreign invaders and win independence.

Through romantic revolutionary verses, confident that one day, 'When the invaders are gone. The sky will echo with songs,' Chế Lan Viên painted a bright future for the country and the Vietnamese people:

The electricity will follow the moon into workers' rooms
The rural folk will become intellectuals
Darkness and toil will turn into heroes...

The image of leader Nguyễn Ái Quốc bringing 'Lenin's Thesis' back to Vietnam; and '... Uncle Ho's shadow kisses the land'—the beginning of his 'return' after 30 years away from the homeland; from here, he led the people in their struggle for independence and freedom:

Lenin's Thesis follows Ho Chi Minh back to Vietnam
The borders are still far, but Ho Chi Minh feels he has arrived
There, Ho Chi Minh's shadow kisses the land
Listening to the pink hue, the shape of the nation is born...

Chế Lan Viên beautifully captured Ho Chi Minh's 30-year journey to save the nation in a deeply emotional poetic image. The poem reflects the Vietnamese people's deep gratitude for Ho Chi Minh, who restored the shape of the nation...

In 1960, President Ho Chi Minh was 70 years old, marking the 30th anniversary of the Party's birthday and the 15th anniversary of the founding of the country. The atmosphere in the North was full of enthusiasm and competition to contribute to the Party and Ho Chi Minh. On this occasion, poet Chế Lan Viên wrote a poem in celebration of the August Revolution and National Day (September 2). This poem was later included in his collection 'Light and Silt' (1960), and later in the 1977 anthology 'Flowers in front of the Mausoleum'. Poet Xuân Diệu, in 1963, considered this to be the 'most successful song' in the collection 'Light and Silt'. Over time, the poem has shone even brighter, revealing new aesthetic lights, making it a gem not only in the poetic legacy of Chế Lan Viên but also in the modern Vietnamese poetry heritage.

The poem relies on a strong theme: the country lost, and its image was no longer on the world map, so Ho Chi Minh went in search of it. His search was not just for the map, but also for it in the memories and consciousness of the people. This is why lines such as 'Around Hoan Kiem Lake, no one talks about King Le' are so striking. King Le created the name Hoan Kiem, but now no one remembers or talks about it, a great historical forgetting. The title of the poem could be roughly interpreted as 'Ho Chi Minh goes in search of the path to save the country'. While this may be the common way to say it, the poem's artistic strength lies in its creation of rich, emotional, and thought-provoking imagery. Some have argued that this theme is unique, but it's not. We already have the great epic 'The Birth of the Land and the Water,' inspired by the grandeur of the birth of the nation. So it might be more accurate to say that Chế Lan Viên inherited and developed the wisdom of the ancient literary traditions. Later, the poet himself, in a famous essay on Ho Chi Minh titled 'The Lotus of Mankind', said: 'There are great men who give birth to books. There are great men who give birth to life. There are times when we first create the belly button, the bunch of vegetables...'. (1). This reveals the overarching meaning of the poem: Ho Chi Minh was the one who gave birth to this nation! Also, it's essential to note Chế Lan Viên's distinctive style, often drawn to themes of birth and creation. His poetry is filled with images of birth such as 'fetus', 'belly button', 'the rosy bundle of the nation', 'bunch of vegetables', 'the young egg of the river'... He once philosophized that revolution is a great act of creation... This poem is also an act of creation, a grand creation with the birth of a nation. From this perspective, the people call Ho Chi Minh 'The Father of the Nation'. Chế Lan Viên expressed it differently, in verse: He went in search of the shape of the country! It’s also a 'birth of the land and the water'.

There are typically several approaches to writing about Ho Chi Minh: the perfect harmony of the ordinary, simple, traditional, yet grand and noble (Tố Hữu's 'Bác ơi', 'Theo chân Bác'...); the warmth of everyday life (Minh Huệ's 'Tonight, Bác is not sleeping...'); the immense greatness, absoluteness (such as in 'Ho Chi Minh goes in search of the shape of the country...'). Chế Lan Viên does not follow the comprehensive portrayal of Bác's entire life, as Tố Hữu did in 'Theo chân Bác', but instead focuses on his emotional state, the struggles Bác faced, thus making the poetic imagery of Bác as real as possible: 'Eating a good meal, but feeling bitter for the homeland'. Readers almost visualize a real person before them: 'The one who sought throughout the flags of America and Africa, those lands of freedom, those skies of slavery...'. This concretization leads to a high level of abstraction: 'The image of the Party intertwined with the image of the Nation'. Political science would have to explain this concept with extensive discourse to fully elucidate the unity, the convergence of purpose, interest, and the role of the Party, the people, and the country. This line epitomizes the definition of poetry: it distills, encapsulates, and conveys multiple meanings with a limited vocabulary. The poem also reveals Chế Lan Viên’s intellectual and philosophical style, sharp and meticulously crafted, with words as refined as gold or jade, radiating light from every angle.

The poem consists of 20 stanzas, with each stanza typically containing four lines, each line with eight syllables, depicting Bác’s thoughts, feelings, and struggles during his journey to save the country. The poem can be divided into three parts: the first part reflects the poet's thoughts on Bác’s path, the second part focuses on the hardships Bác endured and the joy upon finding the way, and the third part highlights Bác’s thoughts when reading the Communist Manifesto and on his journey back to the country. Thus, the poem is organized in chronological order, based on a system of contrasting imagery.

The author likely intended to emphasize the contrast between pairs of opposing images right from the opening line: 'The country is incredibly beautiful, but Bác must leave.' This opposition highlights the oppressive situation of losing the country and Bác’s emotional attachment. The next line, still within this opposition, but sudden and hurried, expresses the emotional rush of 'I want to be a wave under the ship that takes Bác away'. This conveys a sense of urgency (from 'me'), as if I want to follow Bác immediately to share in the forthcoming struggles...

In terms of artistic time, the events span 30 years. On January 28, 1941, Bác returned to the country. Passing the milestone 108, where his homeland lay, Bác was moved, picking up a piece of earth and kissing it. This piece of earth symbolized the Vietnamese nation. Bác returned to shape the Country! Thanks to Chế Lan Viên for capturing this historical moment in poetry: 'There, Bác’s shadow kisses the piece of land/Listening to the pink color forming the nation's embryonic shape'. It must be 'listening' (auditory) to grasp Chế Lan Viên’s essence. For within that 'listening' is the murmuring sound of the nation's forming body, the stirrings of one’s heart! Thus, we understand the poem's symbolism: Bác’s return was the 'formation of the nation'. The 'rosy color' here refers to the color of the earth. This line provides a new meaning: Bác is a child of nature, earth, and plants. Even later, as President, Bác still wore rubber boots to work the fields, harvesting rice, and watering vegetables. On ordinary days, he would also tend to the garden: 'Military and national matters have been discussed/ I take the children out to water the vegetables'.

Today, people view art as a model. A great work is like a model of a grand palace, designed and built by the artist. This poem is such a model, with two golden doors opening to reveal a vast artistic world spanning 30 years and locations from 'across America and Africa', to 'lands of freedom, skies of slavery'... These two lines are not only immortal in the history of poetry but also in the history of the nation: 'Ho Chi Minh’s tears fell on the word Lenin' and 'The first tear was the moment Ho Chi Minh smiled'. Beyond the words, these are the emotions not just of one person, but of an entire era. This is history. It’s not only the history of this nation but also a turning point in world history.

These are lines of poetry without limits. They can be understood as nationalism meeting Leninism. They can be interpreted as the joy, anxiety, and anticipation of Bác, who was shaping the nation like a great Creator shaping creation!

Source: N.T (http://vannghequandoi.com.vn/)

Over 50 years since Chế Lan Viên’s poem “The One Who Seeks the Shape of the Nation” was written, readers continue to be moved by the image of Uncle Ho, beautifully depicted as both lyrical and epic. His portrayal in simple yet intellectual verses remains timeless.

The country is incredibly beautiful. But Uncle Ho had to leave.

Let me become the waves under the boat that sends him off!

As the shores fade away, and villages disappear,

There are no more bamboo groves to be seen.

These opening verses from Chế Lan Viên’s poem “The One Who Seeks the Shape of the Nation” have become familiar, warm to every Vietnamese heart, recalling the image of Ho Chi Minh, who left his beloved homeland to find the path to save the nation.

Exactly 110 years ago, President Ho Chi Minh, at that time a 21-year-old patriot named Ba, decided to embark on his journey to save the country on June 5, 1911, aboard the Admiral Latouche-Tréville at the Nhà Rồng port.

After 30 years abroad, taking on numerous jobs to survive and enduring countless hardships, he remained unwavering in his determination to find the way for his people. In 1941, after those 30 years, he returned to lead the Vietnamese revolution to victory, bringing independence and freedom to the nation and granting life to those living in servitude. He had found the shape of a new Vietnam.

Poet Chế Lan Viên, with his remarkable poetic talent and deep philosophical thinking, masterfully portrayed President Ho Chi Minh as a great man, a person of extraordinary qualities, and the journey of hardships that led to his greatness.

“The One Who Seeks the Shape of the Nation” is truly an epic poem, marked by its epic quality, philosophical depth, and lyrical beauty intertwined in every image and detail, creating verses that resonate deeply: “At night, I dream of the nation, by day I see its shape/ The plants and grass in my dreams are as green as my homeland/ Even eating a delicious meal feels bitter for the country/ I cannot rest when gazing at a branch of flowers…”.

The epic quality is embedded in the poem’s premise, as stated right in the title “The One Who Seeks the Shape of the Nation”. “Seeking the shape of the nation” means searching for the very form and existence of the country: “The standing of the entire nation/ A glory for twenty-five million people”.

The short epic “The One Who Seeks the Shape of the Nation” unfolds that idea by beautifully summarizing Ho Chi Minh’s path to saving the country, from his bittersweet farewell to his homeland: “The first night away from the country, who could sleep?/ The waves beneath the boat are not the waves of my homeland!/ The sky from here is no longer the color of my land/ Away from the country, I understand its sorrow more deeply…”.

And the arduous journey: “Do you remember, oh the cold winds of Paris?/ One red brick, Ho fought against an entire winter’s freeze/ And the London fog, do you remember?/ The sweat of Ho fell in the dead of night?...”.

Then, at last, Ho Chi Minh found the path for the people: “The thesis came to Ho Chi Minh. And Ho wept/ Ho Chi Minh’s tears fell on Lenin’s book/ The four walls stood silently as Ho flipped each page/ Outside, the nation awaited news.”

Chế Lan Viên displayed great creativity in expressing emotions through a true detail shared by Ho Chi Minh. The poet succeeded in capturing and recreating the sacred, mystical moments of a great life— the birth of the nation’s shape, as Ho Chi Minh rejoiced: “Ho shouted alone as if speaking to the nation:/ 'Here’s the rice and clothes! Here’s the happiness!'/ The Party’s image intertwined with the image of the Nation/ The first tear of joy was the moment Ho Chi Minh smiled.”

The profound weight of these verses, the emotions hidden behind each word, create the poem’s powerful undercurrent. The poet poured all his strength into these lines, capturing the immense joy that Ho Chi Minh had long sought and that the whole nation had long awaited.

In the spring of 1941, Ho Chi Minh returned to his homeland, bringing with him the shining truth: “Lenin’s thesis returned to Vietnam with Ho/ The border is still far, but Ho already feels he’s home/ Look! Ho’s silhouette is kissing the land/ Listening to the pink color, the birth of the nation’s form.” The poem ends with an image both intimate and grand, a resonance that stays with the reader’s heart. “Look, Ho’s silhouette kisses the land.” This portrays the closeness of a patriot returning to his beloved homeland after so many years, and the grandeur of the nation’s shape, as it takes form in the image, spirit, and soul of Ho Chi Minh.

110 years have passed since Ho Chi Minh’s departure to find the path to save the nation, 80 years since his return to lead the revolution, and more than 50 years since Chế Lan Viên’s poem was born. Today, readers are still deeply moved and captivated by the portrayal of Ho Chi Minh, who is both beautiful, lyrical, and epic, brought to life in Chế Lan Viên’s simple yet intellectual verses.

"The Search for the Shape of Water" was written with the profound emotion, pride, and gratitude of Che Lan Vien for President Ho Chi Minh's journey to find a path to save the country. The poem reflects the difficult yet glorious path taken by the nation's leader during 30 years of struggle.

"The Shape of Water" here symbolizes the image of sustenance, the happiness of the people, and the independence and freedom of the nation.

The country is extraordinarily beautiful. But the President had to leave.

The first line of the poem depicts the President's reluctance to leave. The rhythm of 5/5 emphasizes the emotion of the President, despite the country's beauty, he longed to stay, but the situation demanded that he leave.

He left so that this "beautiful country" could have a way out of the misery and slavery. He left with the pain of losing the country, the humiliation under foreign domination. But it was this very sorrow that drove him to find the path to save the people and the nation.

Che Lan Vien was deeply moved and felt the President's journey so profoundly that he wished to transform into a wave to carry the President across the vast ocean:

"Let me be the wave beneath the ship bidding farewell to the President."

This line expresses the urgency and longing to catch up with the President's steps, to share the hardships of his journey. The wave image helps the reader feel the sacredness of the historical moment of Ho Chi Minh's departure. It reflects not only the farewell but also the love and respect the poet had for him.

"When the shores slowly recede, the village fades, No shadow of bamboo trees in sight."

Nothing expresses the essence of our homeland more than the images of "bamboo trees", "village", and "shore". These familiar images, gradually fading from all sides, make the departure even more lonely, leaving the person feeling abandoned.

If the phrases "slowly receding" and "no shadow" describe the President slowly moving further from his homeland, then the verb "looking" reflects the President's sense of loss, sorrow, and yearning, desperately searching for the familiar things of his beloved country. With just these two lines, Che Lan Vien truthfully portrays the pain of those leaving their homeland.

"The first night away from the homeland, who could sleep, The waves beneath the ship are not the waves of my homeland."

The first night away from the homeland, the President could not sleep, for his heart ached for his homeland. The journey ahead was uncertain, and he wondered when he could return to his homeland. His heart was restless.

The vast sea, the waves are everywhere, but the waves of the homeland are different. Whether here or far away, when it's not the homeland's sky and water, everything feels foreign, everything is unfamiliar. The person leaving listens to the waves hitting the ship, each wave moving further away, the pain of missing the homeland grows stronger.

"The sky here no longer holds the color of our homeland, Only after leaving the land do we truly understand the sorrow of the nation."

We see that as the President left, he began to feel the deep sorrow of the country and the people suffering. These two lines may seem like soft confessions, but in the quiet, deep voice, there is a profound love and longing for the nation.

"At night, dreaming of the homeland, seeing its shape, The trees and grass in the dream are green like the homeland."

These lines are full of imagery. They delicately express the President's deep love for the homeland; his restless heart worried about the fate of the people, to the point that in his dreams he saw the "shape of the water". More than that, he longed for the green beauty of his homeland.

We feel so much for the President! From the tropical village, where greenery flourishes all year round, to him alone in snowy Europe. But he dreams of the "shape of the water", the green of his homeland, a burning desire for the path to peace for the homeland.

"Eating a delicious meal is bitter because of the Fatherland, Cannot feel at ease when admiring a branch of flowers."

Who else could carry such a heavy heart for the homeland like he did? The President could never enjoy a meal, nor find peace in admiring a flower because he knew that the homeland was still suffering, still enslaved under the colonial rule of the French.

The contrasting images in these two lines: "delicious meal" – "bitter heart", "not at ease" – "admiring a flower", evoke emotions and highlight the President's deep concern and anxiety about the country's fate. He could not enjoy life when the country was in pain. His patriotic heart ached for the lost homeland, our home.

With all the hardships, challenges, and sleepless nights yearning for the homeland, the President found the revolutionary truth, the path to save the nation:

"The revolutionary theory reached President Ho, and he cried, President Ho's tears fell on the words of Lenin."

The poet depicts the President's psychological transformation with such subtlety and emotion. The tears of joy and gratitude were beautifully captured by Che Lan Vien, reflecting the relationship between two great revolutionary figures: Lenin and President Ho Chi Minh.

And what could be more joyful, more fulfilling than when the President found the path to save the nation? Nothing else but Marxism-Leninism. This revolutionary truth enlightened his heart, and he embraced it with all his heart and mind:

"The four silent walls hear the President turning each page of the book, Thinking that outside, the country awaits news."

The personification here vividly depicts the President's full attention, enthusiasm, and devotion as he encountered the revolutionary ideal. Every page turned was for he knew that "the country awaited news". Just like when he left, the moment he read Lenin's Theory was a significant moment in the history of the nation.

Through countless hardships and efforts, the President found the shape of the Water. Therefore, within him surged intense joy:

"The President exclaimed alone as if speaking to the whole nation, Food and clothing are here! Happiness is here!"

Reading these two connected lines: "Food and clothing are here! Happiness is here!", one can almost feel the President's joy as he walked across the room. The quick rhythm and exultant tone express the overwhelming happiness of the President in finding the path to save the nation and the people.

"The shape of the Party within the shape of the Water, The first cry of sorrow is also the moment President Ho smiles."

The imagery in the lines "The shape of the Party within the shape of the Water" is unique and profound. It symbolizes the deep connection between the fate of the nation and the fate of the Communist Party – the soul of the nation.

Through the poem "The Search for the Shape of Water", we understand what endless happiness means to President Ho. It is "The first cry of sorrow is also the moment President Ho smiles" when he found the light of revolution. The intense emotion of the President is conveyed to the reader through the juxtaposition of "crying" and "smiling". But more than that, "crying" and "smiling" happen simultaneously, leaving a profound impression on generations of readers.

The tears in that first moment were tears of joy, and the smile was of happiness and celebration. As time passed, the country became peaceful and prosperous, and the generations of today and tomorrow will forever remember that image of the President.

It can be said that the leader Ho Chi Minh is a symbol of endless poetic inspiration. But writing about him is also a challenge for authors. For amidst the vast body of literature about him, how can one write truthfully yet uniquely, in a way that reflects his grandeur while contributing to the artistic value of works about him? Analyzing the poem "The Search for the Shape of Water", the reader recognizes the poet's skill and sensitivity.

Through this poem, we realize that it is not the use of complex imagery that expresses the greatness of the President, but rather the simple and familiar things that truly make that greatness.

When the President exclaims, "Food and clothing are here! Happiness is here!", the poet wants to convey that the path to save the nation, to liberate the people, and to bring freedom are lofty ideals, but they are grounded in reality: the basic needs of the people. It is through this very longing for the bamboo trees, the longing captured in the exclamation "Food and clothing are here!" that the true spirit of the leader shines brightly in "The Search for the Shape of Water".

The poem "The One Who Seeks the Shape of Water" is part of a collection of works dedicated to the theme of leadership, a prominent subject in Vietnam's literary and artistic heritage. This poem, published in the collection "Light and Alluvium" (1960), marks a significant turning point in the aesthetic journey of poet Chế Lan Viên.

Numerous articles and critiques have been written about "The One Who Seeks the Shape of Water," discussing its themes, inspirations, symbolism, intellectual depth, and beauty. However, this article will explore a different aspect, one that perhaps has not been widely addressed: the aesthetic features of Chế Lan Viên’s poetry as reflected in a work about President Hồ Chí Minh. Why is this worth discussing? Answering this question helps us gain a clearer understanding of the lasting vitality of "The One Who Seeks the Shape of Water".

Writing about Hồ Chí Minh is, in practice, a challenge for any author. This is partly because the body of work about him is vast (many works have already been created), and it is difficult to avoid repetition while introducing fresh perspectives in emotion, thought, and expression. More importantly, it is about capturing the essence of the figure while contributing to the artistic values of works about national leaders. It is here that we can recognize Chế Lan Viên’s artistic mastery.

The poem is written against a backdrop of mixed emotions—pride, deep gratitude, and profound reflections on Hồ Chí Minh’s long journey of seeking the path to save his country. This was a journey filled with immense hardship and challenges, all for a sacred and noble purpose: “Seeking the Shape of Water.” The shape of water symbolizes the collective will of the nation, its independence, freedom, and the happiness of the people. This ideal transcends ordinary geographic boundaries ("A familiar corner of homeland"). It is not a distant, metaphysical dream but a tangible value that constitutes the essence of human life. Hồ Chí Minh’s path was one of universal humanism, focusing on fundamental rights that nature has endowed to all people across the world (as emphasized in his "Declaration of Independence"). Yet it was a path fraught with danger, traversed through “red fire and cold water” ("Steel has been tempered this way").

The contemplative nature of this poem is its most distinguishing feature, and it is also a hallmark of Chế Lan Viên’s poetry. However, what sets this work apart from other works about Hồ Chí Minh is how Chế Lan Viên expresses his aesthetic viewpoint through the construction of imagery and the organization of the artistic world. We are accustomed to works that highlight Hồ Chí Minh’s physical features—his hair, forehead, eyes, smile, voice, simple attire, and rubber sandals. We also know the language and symbols that elevate him to a divine or sublime status. This was the challenge that Chế Lan Viên had to overcome in his poem "The One Who Seeks the Shape of Water." He understood that artistic imagery is deeply rooted in the imagination, reflection, and associations of the poet. Therefore, in this poem, Chế Lan Viên focuses on exploring other facets: Hồ Chí Minh’s homesickness when he had to leave his homeland; the hardships he endured; the pain of thinking about a country still under the yoke of slavery; the overwhelming emotions when he encountered revolutionary ideals in Lenin’s homeland; the joy when he found the path to national independence, freedom, and happiness for the people... Above all, the distinct feature of Chế Lan Viên’s aesthetic style lies in his reflections: “How can we fully understand the hearts of leaders?”; “How can we fully understand 'The One Who Seeks the Shape of Water'?”

In terms of aesthetic categories, "The One Who Seeks the Shape of Water" exemplifies the sublime (emotion, thought, theme, imagery, tone). However, what sets Chế Lan Viên apart is that he does not use ready-made materials or symbols of the sublime; instead, he elevates the ordinary, the familiar, the closest things to human life into the sublime. In the end, only those things that are closest to us are truly bound to our hearts. What is remarkable here is that, through this approach to imagery and expression, Chế Lan Viên naturally and accurately portrays Hồ Chí Minh’s ideology, morality, and style. Hồ Chí Minh’s life was noble, his ideals grand, and his legacy immeasurable. Seeking the shape of water, listening to the birth of water, envisioning the path to national liberation, independence, freedom, and the happiness of the people—these are high ideals that are not abstract or unrealistic. These sacred, human-centered images represent the essence of life that every person must embrace. Hồ Chí Minh realized this truth when he encountered Lenin’s works and discovered the path to national and global liberation.

The new reflections in Chế Lan Viên’s approach to building imagery and organizing the artistic world have given his poetry a distinct style, as well as ensuring the lasting relevance of "The One Who Seeks the Shape of Water." With sincere emotions and profound thoughts, rooted in an appropriate aesthetic view of artistic reflection, Chế Lan Viên transcends conventional descriptions to reach the aesthetic value of the sublime. Yet, the sublime is not expressed through abstract, otherworldly symbols, but through the most familiar, everyday aspects of Hồ Chí Minh’s life. It is here that the sublime nature of his “leader’s heart” is illuminated—the light of humanism and compassion. To this day, "The One Who Seeks the Shape of Water" remains one of the most outstanding and representative poems written about Hồ Chí Minh.

Source: Dr. NGUYỄN THANH TÂM

The image of the great leader Ho Chi Minh, with his remarkable life and career, has become an ideal model for many poems by the renowned poet Che Lan Vien. This image is uniquely embodied in his poetry. Among the vast and sacred collection of works about the leader, with countless masterpieces, the poem 'The Man Who Sought the Image of the Nation' by Che Lan Vien stands as a lasting and honored piece.

The opening stanza simply introduces the context of the day when Uncle Ho set off to find the path to save the nation:

'The country is beautiful beyond measure, yet Uncle must leave.'

'Let me become the wave under the ship bidding Uncle farewell.'

'When the shore and the village disappear, vanishing from sight.'

'No sign of the bamboo trees in any direction.'

This is a silent farewell. The departure is unaccompanied by fanfare, even solitary. Throughout the poem, there is no figure to bid farewell except for the poet, who imagines himself 'becoming the wave under the ship bidding Uncle farewell.'

The departure is resolute, but not indifferent or suppressing emotions. It seems the poet intentionally presents the character as very real in his feelings, deeply watching his homeland as he bids it farewell. This lingering gaze stays with him until the shores and villages fade out of sight, blurring in the sadness of parting. These short verses delve into the profound emotional depth of the leader.

Every separation carries a sense of sorrow, but this one seems more poignant, arising from a paradox: Uncle 'must leave' while 'the country is beautiful beyond measure.'

The splendid, beautiful Vietnam should have allowed everyone, especially the youth, to enjoy its wonders. Yet the people were trapped in slavery and misery, and the young man had to leave to seek the path to save the country.

This is not a personal lament from an individual yearning for enjoyment, but the sorrow of the land itself. Therefore, this sorrow is not tragic but becomes a powerful motivation urging the young man to embark on the journey to save the country and protect the beauty of the nation.

The contrast between 'the country is beautiful beyond measure' and 'Uncle must leave' not only creates a paradox but also reinforces a strong impression of Uncle Ho – with a resolute stance on his departure. The young man, driven by a deep love for the country, extraordinary resolve, courage, and unwavering will, begins a historic journey to fulfill his sacred mission.

The stanza simply recounts the event and describes the surroundings, but the environment mirrors the inner state of the character. Behind the ordinary scenery, an extraordinary event and person are concealed. Behind the personal emotions of an individual appears the grandeur of a great man. This fascinating transformation is one of the charms of Che Lan Vien's poetry.

The poem continues to portray the challenging and perilous journey of the great patriot Ho Chi Minh. Each subsequent stanza depicts the stages of this journey:

'Do you remember the cold winds of Paris?'

'A red brick, Uncle defies a whole winter of frost.'

'And the London fog, do you remember?'

'Uncle's sweat fell in the midnight hour?'

His footsteps reached both the open skies of freedom and the bleak lands of slavery, with the longing to find the right path for his people – to find the image of the nation. This unyielding desire is always present in every moment, whether day or night, in dreams or reality, even in meals or in sleep:

'At night, dreaming of the nation, by day, seeing the image of the Nation.'

'The trees in the dream, green with the colors of the homeland.'

'Eating a delicious meal, yet the taste is bitter because of the Fatherland.'

'Not at peace when gazing at a flower.'

Thinking of the nation, countless great questions arise as if testing his heart: 'Tomorrow, how will our people live? Where does the Red River flow? And history? When will the Truong Son mountain range awaken? Will the magical arms of Phu Dong reach the clouds? What will happen to the flag? What will happen to the song?' The Vietnamese people, after enduring much suffering, will they find their way through the storms of history? Will their proud, glorious past reach into the future? What will the flag and the song become?

These are questions without clear answers, yet they carry deep reflections, a vision that spans both time (from past to future) and space (across the vast nation). These concerns are the deep thoughts of a great patriot.

And more, even though there are no clear, specific answers, deep within his consciousness, the future of the nation is not mournful but shines with the light of hope: The hope for a glorious tomorrow, when the Truong Son mountain range 'awakens from its sleep,' when the arms of Phu Dong 'reach the clouds,' when the flag of victory waves in the hearts of millions, and when the sky shines with the brilliance of freedom: 'How blue the sky is above the homeland, when freedom shines brightly upon it.'

This is nothing less than the radiant light of revolutionary optimism, the light emanating from the wisdom of a great thinker who understood the laws of history.

From this revolutionary optimism, from this enlightened thinking, the future of the country becomes a glorious vision:

'See the Russian sun shining brightly in the East.'

'The bitter fruit tree has yielded sweet fruits.'

'The one who suffered bitterness now shares the happiness.'

'The golden star flies with the hammer and sickle of the working people.'

After facing numerous hardships and dangers, finally, Nguyen Ai Quoc discovered Lenin's Thesis. The happiness was so overwhelming that he broke into tears and joy:

'The Thesis came to Uncle Ho, and he cried.'

'Uncle Ho's tears fell upon Lenin's words.'

'The four walls stood still, listening.'

'Uncle turned the pages of the book swiftly.'

'Outside, the country awaited news.'

This verse vividly and emotionally depicts Uncle Ho's feelings as he received Lenin's Thesis, discovering the path to saving the nation. At that moment, everything seemed to stop, holding its breath before bursting into joy:

'Uncle shouted alone as if speaking to the nation: 'Here is food, here is happiness!'

'The image of the Party is intertwined with the image of the Nation.'

'The first tears of sorrow were the first smiles of Uncle Ho.'

Lenin's Thesis became the guiding light for the path to national liberation. This moment of receiving such an important document marked a significant event, not only for Uncle Ho, who had dedicated his life to finding it, but also for our people and nation. It was like the moment of welcoming a newborn – the birth of a new Vietnam: discovering 'the image of the Nation,' finding 'the path for the people to follow.'

From the light of the Thesis, Uncle envisioned a bright future for the nation: 'The fields return to the farmers... Even the ordinary lives are sheltered by the flowers.' Finding the right path to save the country would lead to a great revolution, transforming the nation: 'The sky turns into a song,' 'Electricity follows the moon into the workers' rooms,' 'The thatched roofs turn to red tiles,' restoring the peaceful lives of the people: 'The fields return to the people who plow.'

Along the long stretch of the homeland, there is no more suffering or death, only a beautiful, prosperous land with 'Tin mines, coal pits, golden forests, silver seas.' Moreover, through the light of the revolution, our people have truly undergone a great transformation: from 'peasants' to 'intellectuals,' from 'toiling laborers' to 'heroes,' 'Even the ordinary lives are sheltered by the flowers.'

This is a miraculous and inevitable change. Only through the light of communist ideals, only with the correct revolutionary theory, can a nation find its way to the shores of freedom, and only through such a revolution can the lives of the oppressed be truly transformed.

The poem begins with the scene of Uncle Ho leaving, and ends with his return. The poet has guided us through the arduous and grand journey of a patriotic young man becoming a communist, from sorrow and concern to the glorious happiness.

The poem concludes with the image of Uncle Ho reaching the pinnacle of his idealistic, superhuman beauty. This is the most perfect ending of the artistic image, according to Che Lan Vien's aesthetic view. If we say that Che Lan Vien's entire artistic career was devoted to an aesthetic vision of superhuman beauty – tied to the image of a great man, then 'The Man Who Sought the Image of the Nation,' with the image of Ho Chi Minh, is perhaps the most wonderful symbol of this aspiration.