This is the North Vietnam version.


Is this a poem…?!
by Susanne

Hồn Lìa Khỏi Xác by Hàn Mặc Tử ^*

The famous poet, who is considered to belong to the romantic Vietnamese poetry, was only 28 years old when he died from lepracy. The poem is a self-refection on the unavoidable, and much too early arriving day of his death.

In Vietnam poems can be presented as spoken words or in a particular kind of singing. They are are called “ngam tho”, and are written with the melody already in mind. The artist is highly specialized, and therefore it is like looking for a needle in the haystack to find somebody who is still carrying on this tradition. Happily we met one singer who was able to help us out. To top it: she was able to perform the poem in the “tongue” from the north of Vietnam, and in the one from the middle.