guangdong
my daughter’s grandpa
as a young boy
~
japanese soldiers
ransack the home
~
hide
be still
~
a soldier defecates
on the kitchen table
~
I’m so naive
I’m so lucky
~
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guangdong
my daughter’s grandpa
as a young boy
~
japanese soldiers
ransack the home
~
hide
be still
~
a soldier defecates
on the kitchen table
~
I’m so naive
I’m so lucky
~
I am a Japanese American married to a Chinese/Taiwanese American. I have heard these stories as well. Nanking being the worst. Although I had nothing to do with these incidents being an American who was born after the war, I can relate since I was raised with the same racist views that caused these injustices. I work daily to root out the racism in my psyche. This poem reminds me that my children have grandparents who also suffered at the hands of racism. It also reminds me of how lucky we are to live in post-civil rights America. Thank you for sharing.
thank you Kozo
~
listening to stories
from others
I’ve realized how lucky
I am
to be so naive
~
I’ve also realized
how hard
it is
to understand
~
thankfully my daughter’s grandpa
does not cling to racist thoughts
he understands war
people
and forgiveness
Sounds to me like your daughter has a true gift in her grand-father! Take lots of pictures and have them make many memories. I treasure the few I have of my grand-father. :D
he truly is
a gift
~
thanks for the
kind comment
I can partially understand this, as my parents went through the Khmer Rouge. Me being born in a refugee camp changes my perspective in some ways. The things my parents have gone through to get me here to the US speaks volumes, and an appreciation that I am unable to give back.
my friend in college
was from Laos
his family spent 4 years
in a refugee camp together
~
his father passed away
a few years ago
and he shared so many
touching survival stories
~
I’ll never truly comprehend
how blessed I’ve been
Such truth, such gratitude for freedom.
yes
be still.
stillness
is
always
an
answer
I have been to Guangdong and Daya Bay – different kind of war – one of capital
war
takes many
forms
You know how to weave your words to leave an impact.
gathering
memories, journals, images
from the past
20 years or so …