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Poetry corner: This year, children have their own area where they can read poems as part of Poetry Day in Ha Noi.
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At the Temple of Literature, the theme of the was spring.
Nguyen Huu Thinh, chairman of the Viet Nam Writers Association and who organised the event, said this year's poetry festival marked the 100th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh's mission to Europe to seek support for Vietnamese resistance against French occupation in 1911.
It was also the 70th anniversary of his return to Viet Nam.
The festival began with a procession to the Temple of Literature. "A delegation of writers brought some soil from President Ho's home in Sen Village, in the central province of Nghe An," Thinh said.
They also brought water from the source of the famed Lenin Stream in the northern province of Cao Bang, near where the President lived in the 1940s.
The bust of 30 celebrated writers who were presented with Ho Chi Minh Awards were also on display.
In addition, President Ho Chi Minh's poems, translated into several languages, were displayed at Thien Quang Well in the temple.
Hundreds of red lanterns adorned with lines of poetry were hung at Khue Van Pavilion.
At Van Lake there were poetry recitations for children.
"The stage for children attracted many visitors," said poet Phuong Lien, who managed the event.
"The works were not just by veteran poets but also children themselves," she said.
The annual Viet Nam Poetry Day was launched in 2003.
Participating in the two-day event in the southern central of Phu Yen, which ends tonight, will be Nguyen Khoa Diem, Tran Dang Khoa, Do Trung Quan and Thinh.
Poems will be posted along the road leading to Nhan Mountain.
The event will feature installation art and calligraphy, according to Ngoc Quang, vice director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Thua Thien-Hue held a gala night entitled Poetry's Resound at the Imperial Palace.
Newcomers
The event in HCM City was organised at Nha Rong Wharf under the theme HCM City: The Place Where Uncle Ho Set Out to Go Abroad to Find a Way to Save the Nation.
Poems composed by Ly Thuong Kiet and Ho Chi Minh, two of the country's greatest national heroes, were presented, along with works by veteran writers Lam Giang, Pham Thi Ngoc Lien and Ngo Thi Y Nhi, all of which were accompanied by singing and dancing on stage.
Organisers said this year's festival focused on works by young poets, including newcomers Truong Gia Hoa, Phan Hon Nhien and Le Thi Kim, who are expected to become members of the city's Writers' Association.
Young people also had opportunities to present their works for the first time to the public. Their new ideas and different writing styles brought a breath of fresh air to the event.
At the Youth Cultural House, poetry clubs from local universities and cultural houses introduced their members last night, while amateur poets showed their works after discussing their problems.
Poet Le Minh Quoc, a member of the city's Writers' Association and the festival's organising board, said: "Young writers use simple and raw words to give expression to their sensitive souls. Their style should be supported by their older colleagues."
Among the guests are literary critics, who are involved and interested in local art.
As usual, a series of special performances, staged by the HCM City Traditional Arts Troupe, was also highlighted. More than 200 people participated in the event. —VNS
