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New Year's Eve - Poems by Phạm Duy
*On the last day of the lunar year, when “three thirty in the afternoon” strikes, the poetry recitation invites us to pause, to let go of our worries and sorrows in order to reflect on the “glowing hearth”—not simply a kitchen, but a state of mind that is warm, gathered, and filled with love. The image of carrying water on New Year’s Eve, with jars and urns brimming full, symbolizes material comfort, but it is also a sacred symbol of sharing, equality, and trust in life. If we are unable to kindle the flame of love in our own hearts, it will be difficult to understand and love ourselves, and only then can we hope to light up the hearts of others. The temple, Plum Village, and the retreats are places where that flame is cultivated, transforming suffering and despair into smiles and bright eyes—so that each person may bring it home to continue warming their community.
*The music of Pham Duy is introduced as a stream of love and peace, especially through three unfinished musical epics:
- Con Đường Cái Quan – realistic music, a symbol of the road of national unity.
- Mẹ Việt Nam – symbolic music with images of motherland, mother river, mother sea, and the longing to overcome separation.
- Trường Ca Trường Sơn – allegorical music, not following conventional rhythms, expressing spiritual heights.
Together with “Tâm Ca,” a collection of ten anti-war songs and the aspiration for peace, his music affirms that love, not violence, is the most powerful weapon for building true happiness.
Part of the following collection
Think to Water Your Flower