What is the sample analysis of the poem "Khi con tu hú"? What is the organizational structure of the Textbook Selection Council at the lower secondary schools in Vietnam?

To Huu was a great poet of the nation, someone who was always closely attached to the revolution and the life of the people. The poem “Khi con tu hú” is one of his representative works, composed in 1939 when he was only 19 years old and detained in Tu Phu prison (Hue). The poem clearly portrays the vibrant summer nature scene and the restless longing of a prisoner craving freedom.

The poem begins with the sound of the cuckoo calling for summer:

“When the cuckoo calls its flock,

The rice is ripening, the fruits are becoming sweeter.”

The cuckoo’s call is a signal heralding the arrival of summer. Summer arrives not only through sound but also through the image of ripe rice fields and sweet fruits. This lively nature scene stirs the heart of the prisoner. The more beautiful the scenery, the more intense the longing to integrate into the free life outside becomes.

The summer setting is described with vivid and bustling images:

“The garden resonates with cicada cries,

Corn sifts yellow kernels in the sunny yard.

The sky grows wider and higher,

A pair of flute kites tumbling in the air.”

The humming cicada calls summer, the image of golden ripening corn, the vast sky with kites spinning freely paints a space full of light, color, and sound. This scene is filled with freedom, joy, and the desire to live. Everything seems to urge and invite the prisoner to break free from captivity.

However, contrasting this beautiful scene is the frustration of the soldier:

“I hear summer roaring in my heart,

But the legs want to kick the room apart, oh summer!

It is suffocating, dying of grief,

The cuckoo bird outside keeps calling!”

The summer call resonates in the heart like an urging voice. The phrase "kick apart" expresses the resentment, wanting to break the confinement. The narrow, suffocating prison space seems to strangle the soul of the soldier. The cuckoo’s call outside only makes the pain more agonizing, as if mocking the desire for freedom.

The poem expresses a fierce love for freedom and the resilient spirit of the revolutionary soldier. Even in captivity, they do not lose their longing to live and fight for noble ideals. “Khi con tu hú” is a heartfelt voice, a song of faith and indomitable will.

1. General Introduction about the Author and the Work

To Huu (1920-2002) was a major revolutionary poet, one of the representative figures of modern Vietnamese literature. His poetry is always associated with revolutionary ideals, expressing love for the homeland, country, people, and the longing for freedom. The poem “Khi con tu hú” was composed in July 1939 when To Huu was imprisoned in Tu Phu prison (Hue). The poem expresses a passionate yearning for freedom and a deep love for the outside world by the young soldier.

2. Content Analysis of the Poem

The poem consists of 10 lines, divided into two distinct parts:

2.1. Part 1: The Summer Scene Outside the Prison (first 6 lines)

- Right from the beginning lines, the sound of the cuckoo echoes as a signal of summer:

“When the cuckoo calls its flock,

The rice is ripening, the fruits are becoming sweeter.”

- The cuckoo’s sound suggests a summer setting with the image of golden ripe rice fields and sweet fruits. This sound signals a vibrant, lively summer approaching. The scene continues to open up with images:

“The garden resonates with cicada cries,

Corn sifts yellow kernels in the sunny yard.”

- The cicada hums calling for summer, the image of golden ripening corn, all exude beauty filled with vitality and light. There is the bustling nature, life thriving. That beautiful summer invites humans to integrate, enjoy. Especially, the image:

“The sky grows wider and higher,

A pair of flute kites tumbling in the air.”

- The summer sky is clear, blue, and endless. The kites flying freely in the sky symbolize the desire for freedom, soaring joy, unrestrained. These lines depict a lively, radiant summer picture rich in sound and color.

2.2. Part 2: The Stifling, Frustrated Mood of the Soldier (last 4 lines)

- Amidst the vibrant summer scene, the image of the revolutionary prisoner stands in stark contrast. The stifling, frustrating mood is clearly expressed through each line:

“I hear summer roaring in my heart,

But the legs want to kick the room apart, oh summer!”

- The call of summer stirs in the author a fierce longing. The phrase "kick apart" reflects the exasperation, wanting to break free from the suffocating prison space. It’s the voice of a freedom-loving person confined within four narrow walls.

“It is suffocating, dying of grief,

The cuckoo bird outside keeps calling!”

- The suffocating, frustrating feeling to the point of "dying of grief" illustrates the mental and physical torment of the prisoner. The cuckoo's persistent calls outside seem mocking, urging, making the longing for freedom even more intense and painful. The sound of that bird is also the call of nature, of outside life that the soldier cannot touch during captivity.

3. Distinct Artistry

- The poem uses the traditional lục bát form with flexible and natural rhythm. The beautiful nature imagery is vividly described through evocative words: "rice", "sweet fruit", "yellow corn", "blue sky". The author also skillfully uses strong verbs like "kick apart", "suffocate", "die of grief" to express the truly emotional and intense confined mood.

4. Significance of the Poem

The poem “Khi con tu hú” exhibits two opposing facets: on one side is the lively, vibrant summer nature; on the other is stifling confinement in the prison. Through this, the author reveals a burning desire for freedom and to live in harmony with life, with the revolution. Moreover, the poem reflects the resilient spirit and determination to fight of the revolutionary soldier in harsh conditions.