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Salty poetry cannot replace salt

LE HONG THIEN (st) November 24, 2024 14:36

Poet Xuan Dieu said that no matter how delicious poetry is, it cannot replace salt. Poets often worry about the future like that.

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Poet Xuan Dieu

Around mid-1949, during the Border Campaign, writer Thanh Tinh was assigned by writer Nguyen Dinh Thi to be in charge of the Literature and Arts Group, including painter Van Giao, filmmaker Nguyen Dac and journalist Chinh Yen. When this group was in Van Mich on the Ky Cung River, preparing to set out to find the 174th Cao Bac Lang Regiment, the river water rose and enemy bombs and bullets rained down continuously from morning to afternoon. The Literature and Arts Group led by writer Thanh Tinh was taken by the Commune Committee to take shelter in a fairly large and deep cave. Because all food supply lines were cut off, the food rations of the writers and artists consisted of only potatoes, squash and corn brought by the people. Like many other mountainous areas in the Northwest, salt became very scarce.

Suddenly one afternoon, an ethnic boy led three other "guests" into the cave. The artists were extremely happy because in that group was the poet Xuan Dieu.

Mr. Nguyen Dac happily said:

- So tonight we get to listen to the salty poetry of Mr. Xuan Dieu. That way we won't miss salt too much.

Poet Xuan Dieu smiled and said:

- No matter how delicious poetry is, it cannot replace salt. To replace saltiness, there is only…

- Journalist Chinh Yen interjected:

- Just tears?

Xuan Dieu shook his head:

- No, just salt!

Having said that, surprisingly, the poet opened his backpack and took out a package of several ounces of salt. It was indeed a simple but extremely valuable gift, because it became extremely necessary in that context.

Later, when recounting the above story, writer Thanh Tinh commented: "Xuan Dieu not only dreamed and fantasized when writing poetry, but in every aspect of life, he calculated and planned far ahead, from big to small things quite thoughtfully."

LE HONG THIEN (st)
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Salty poetry cannot replace salt