(i) By the mid-1880s, the French had established a firm grip over the northern region of Vietnam. They had conquered Tonkin and Anaam and, in 1887, French Indo-China was formed. (ii) The poet is expressing his feelings on the nature of the loss that Vietnam was suffering.He is happy that he is blind and cannot see and is bemoaning the loss of independence. (iii) The poet is urging people to be aware of the present position of the country, betrayed by traitors and suffering under foreign rule. He is trying to invoke a feeling of nationalism in the people of Vietnam.