They don’t talk about their journey here
But I ask and Aunty beckons
I listen to memories
Hushly shared by Aunty
Of escape by sea
Bad things happen
Shhh, don’t cry
OK?
Now
Safe
We’re here
Successful
It was just war
Many forgotten
Refugees, casualties
Just be quiet, be grateful
Gone are fear and uncertainty
Aunty says just remember for me
This is my husband’s Aunt Le who shared with me her experience about how their family escaped from Vietnam – “boat people” they were called. I love listening to her stories and learning from her. Her strength and resilience is inspiring. Her memories and sacrifices will be remembered – I will make sure of that.
This poem was written for Pic and a Word Challenge #161 – Remembrance. I don’t know if Patrick picked this word because it coincided with the 100th Anniversary of the end of World War I but it bring to mind war and the repercussions of war. We often remember soldiers but forget about the other people affected by war, the people not involved in fighting yet still affected by it – refugees, peace keeping forces, doctors who help the injured, children. The effects of war are generational – for people, society and the environment.
People thought WWI would be “The War to End All Wars”. Unfortunately, this was not true. Our world continues to be plagued by wars and conflict that has cost millions of lives and displaced millions of people, wars that result in generations of trauma. When will we be able to stop killing each other so the pain and sadness of war will truly only be a memory?
©️ iido 2018
I Do Run 
A beautiful post. Hearing of such hardships from the lips of those who lived through it must be amazing.
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Yes, it is such a gift to hear history from those who have lived it.
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much that you write about the war echo my sentiments too and I have read countless books and articles as I am a bit of a war fanatic, yet each day we seem closer to a new war erupting, have we not learnt from past horrors and loss? your poem gives us a complete picture of the devastation of war, the ones left after it is over, the ones who have to pick the pieces up again and want to move forward that they just want to forget it all ever happened, and yes lets be quiet about it, as speaking of it may invoke more horror. this is the survivor’s self preservation. You always amaze me with the way your write from a third person’s perspective, you soak up their words and make it into something so touching and meaningful.
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This is a beautiful reminder that apart from the soldier who are said to be frontrunners of the war; there are other lost lives too and only God knows how they cope after the war (should they survive)…the world has been through a lot of wars. We had 2 world wars and several other civil wars happening within a certain state or country, but in my current observation the biggest war we are facing now is the war against ourserlves. The war to conquer our fear, our demons, our inhibitions, our insecurities, the list could go on…it is with the hope that someday we find a way to completely eradicate that if not then at least minimize…it would probably be a better world…
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It is amazing how the horrors of war touched so many and yet there seems to be no end to it. Very touching.
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So heartfelt, it’s sad indeed the impact war has and all the trauma that surrounds it.
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