As the poet and writer Nguyen Kim Huy, Chairman of the City's Writers Association, has said: “Da Nang is beautiful, Da Nang is poetic, and the people of Da Nang are strong but always love beauty and love poetry”. These emotionally rich poems convey a love for the homeland, and celebrate the natural beauty and culture of Da Nang. Each author has a unique voice and style; each poem is a vivid piece that makes up the picture of Da Nang throughout its long history of development.

"Da Nang in Spring", a poetry collection combining a mix of new and old poems filled with longing for Da Nang, was recently released. Photo: Provided by the Da Nang City Writers Association.

Share the great love

Poetry about Da Nang describes different scenery from the vibrant spring landscapes on the Son Tra Peninsula to the memories of heroic years at Hai Van, and the lively life today along Han River. Their themes range from wartime verses to modern compositions and clearly expresses a profound gratitude for history and the people who share a great love, together nurturing this land.

Writer Nguyen Kim Huy, deeply passionate about Da Nang as seen through the lens of poetry, offers a fresh perspective on the city’s poetic journey from the resistance era to modern times. It is the sacred call of war—urgent, heartfelt: “Da Nang calls me like a mother calls her child / Like a lover calls a distant beloved” (Thu Bon, Da Nang Goi Ta). Readers can vividly imagine the exhilarating joy of the city's liberation in March 1975 through the poignant and emotionally rich verses of Thanh Pho Thang Ba (The City in March) by poet Hoang Tu Thien. His lines evoke an expansive, boundless sky over Da Nang: “March, oh March / When the cuckoo raises the bustling voice to call out season / Nets spread open around Ben Da / Fish swarm to Thanh Khe’s shores... / From the small cradle of childhood / To the vast sky of the city” …

The vivid picture of Da Nang throughout its long history of development continues to be clearly depicted in each poetic work. In that context, the poet Dong Trinh emotionally praises in the epic poem "Tu chiec tao doi me ru" (From the Cradle of My Mother's Life). Studies of Dong Trinh 's poetry generally summarize that his poetry has strengths in structure, language, poetic imagery, and musicality, but more distinctive is the way he concludes each poem, always exceeding the reader's expectations.

After so many upheavals in his life, with the bleeding wounds of a poet's heart amidst changing times, he once again "reinvents himself" to live, to love, and to seek. There used to be many times he detaches himself from reality, and plunges into a "surreal world" to avoid obsolescence.

The poets of Da Nang have always cherished and remained deeply connected to the land and its people. Their works are filled with profound affection, free-spirited beauty, and contemplative reflections on the city—above all, they express an unwavering love for this place. Poet Ngan Vinh affectionately calls it “Beloved Da Nang” as if to lay bare his heart: “This land did not give birth to me / Yet it has made my soul its own.” Nguyen Nha Tien’s words resonate with grandeur in his Su Thi Song Han (The Epic of Han River) proclaims: “There is one Han River flowing to the sea each day / And a hundred Han Rivers streaming into poetry." Yet, his voice softens with emotion in Nghe Em Hat Ben Bo Song Co Co (Listening to You Sing by Co Co River). Poet and writer Nguyen Kim Huy, too, shares his restless longing for the city in Dem Han Giang (Han River Night): “Han River at night, you and I / Two shores—facing away, yet bound as one.”

Humanistic and historical value

Flowing in harmony with the nation's poetic current, the verses about Da Nang serve as vivid testimonies, offering today’s readers a deeper understanding of the hardships and sacrifices of past generations. They are raw and poignant snapshots of an unforgettable era. These poems go beyond personal emotions; they not only capture history but also inspire and impart lessons on patriotism, sacrifice, and unity to future generations. They stand as epic ballads—echoing love, devotion, and the nation’s unyielding yearning for peace.

Commenting on poetry about Da Nang, Nguyen Nho Khiem, Chairman of the City’s Union of Literature and Arts Associations, noted that with a perspective spanning the past, present, and future, poets not only depict the sorrow and losses of war but also celebrate the power of patriotism and the indomitable which help people to overcome hardship in the pursuit of peace. At the same time, these verses reflect the city’s aspirations for growth, its spirit of unity, and the creative dynamism of a youthful and vibrant Da Nang.

This spirit of patriotism and yearning for peace is vividly expressed in the poetry collection Ngon Den Cua Mw (Mother’s Lamp) by poet Nguyen Duc Hat (born in 1945 in Quang Nam, former Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Quang Nam Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of the Da Nang City Party Committee, and Standing Deputy Head of the Party Central Organization Commission). The collection is rich with familiar symbols such as the mother’s lamp, calloused hands, and peaceful crossroads.

In Nguyen Duc Hat’s poetry, patriotism is inseparable from familial love—like a mother watching over her child, lighting a lamp to offer strength and protection. The spirit of patriotism in his collection, and in the works of poets from the resistance era, is not expressed through grand declarations. Instead, it comes to life through intimate, deeply moving images.

Poet Nguyen Nho Khiem reflects: “Nguyen Duc Hat’s poetry collection showcases creativity, sensitivity, and a profound love for the land and its people. It is a tribute to the noble qualities of the Vietnamese people during wartime—patriotism, sacrifice, motherly love, and solidarity. The collection carries a heroic spirit, making it not only worthy of reading but also of deep reflection, enriching the body of resistance literature in our country.”

Most recently, Da Nang’s poets and writers have come together in the poetry collection Da Nang in Spring, published in celebration of the Lunar New Year At Ty and Vietnam Poetry Day 2025. Once again, the poetic flow of Da Nang continues to surge forward. The verses in Da Nang in Spring reach the hands of readers—those who love poetry, or perhaps, those who love Da Nang through poetry itself. And once more, poetry affirms its humanistic and historical value, vividly capturing the city’s development and evolution with both immediacy and depth.

Many poets, both from the past and contemporary writers from all corners of the country, have long been captivated by the poetic land of Da Nang... Yet, it seems that the vibrant, dreamy beauty of Da Nang is still awaiting those epic poems, those masterpieces, that truly capture its grandeur, spirit, and essence.

Reporting by NHAN HOA ANH – Translating by HONG VAN