In Ton Duc Thang University (TDTU) there are flowers everywhere, anytime.
But for the time being, no one can forget about the royal poincianas; especially our students. The image of these flowers has stayed in their momeries, not only in the summertime, while they are on vacation with their families, but also with the hot climate of summer and the sounds from cicadas.
In TDTU, talking about Poinciana also means mentioning a symbolic location of Nha Trang: Hon Chong. Poinciana has its own story, tracing its roots way back in history:
“Riêng ta nhớ những trưa hè sắc đỏ;
Đường Hoàng Lan nắng động lối đi quen.
Nhìn bóng cây chen bóng mộng hư huyền;
Ta đến đó lần đầu nghe rạo rực.”
Those who have had "butterflies in their stomachs" on the first visit to Nha Trang Campus will indulge in themselves again this early July. It is a must to call this place is a poinciana garden because there are nearly dozens of adjacent planted roots, each stretching to the top of the hill, embellishing the beauty of this campus. Many trees here are more than 50 years old, planted in the 1960s and had witnessed the vicious change of weather as well as history. In the last 10 years, there has not been one year we could not see poicianas blossom to adorn TDTU.
The long lives of poincianas, together with the care of anthophiles in TDTU can be seen from their vibrant colors in Nha Trang.
Anthophiles often wonder: since when did people start to grow royal poincianas in Vietnamese schools? Well the time this bright red flower became a dear symbol of the pupil's age remains unknown; however, looking at it, we see that a youthful sky is coming back.
“Anh trở lại con đường lên núi biếc;
Thương mây bay từ đó vẫn cô đơn.
Những bông hoa còn có nửa linh hồn;
Những lá cỏ nghiêng vai tìm mộng ảo.
Ôi nắng cũ nhạt mùi hương dã thảo;
Lạnh màu rêu, tảng đá nhớ chân đi.
Những cánh chim từ quá khứ bay về.
Tà áo mỏng chập chờn phai sắc bướm!
Bài thơ nhỏ hôm xưa hồng nắng sớm.
Trên môi em, gió núi đã gieo vần.
Mùa hạ nào thơm mái tóc hoài xuân!
Hương phấn thoảng, còn ướp say hình bóng!"
Just like the light pink shade on the ao dai of TDTU’s girls, Nha Trang has brought in a faded butterfly tone for early July.
“Coming to school in the summer to carve your reminiscence on a tree, maybe you are not able to meet each other again…” Besides remembering a modern TDTU, people will also keep thinking about how candid, beautiful and kind the university is.
