Bones

 By Tararith Kho

Through the field to the dwellings,

Grass covers the ground of cruel things;

The past still stays; they remain:

Misery and pain, like shadows.

The palms used to stand in the field,

But they have now disappeared

Because someone cut and cleared them; without caring

Someone wanted them gone.

Temples were not temples;

No monks inside, no sermons, no worshiping;

Black dresses were everywhere; they came, covered,

And changed this nation, our nation, in all directions.

Bones were found everywhere;

People were scared, we were shocked;

Khmer killed Khmer, same nation; For what reason?

For Angkar.*

Justice is what Khmer needs;

To reveal the hidden truth;

Who was Angkar? Khmer was killed for what?

Justice for Khmer, for millions of bones.

Bones are bones.

No soul can point, no soul can show;

The enemy is around, harming us every day.

 

*Note from the Poet: Angkar means organization. (“Khmer Rouge used this word to lead Cambodia. We didn’t know who was Angkar? When the Khmer Rouge wanted to catch or kill people, they said: ‘This is by order of Angkar.’”)

- Trans. Aisha Down