Children in the Darkness
There are children in the darkness
Who have not seen the light
There are children in the darkness
Who someone will teach to fight
Chalk and blackboards will not be
To this door there is no key
From this life they can not flee
And these children are not free
Could we simply light a candle
Could we give them half a chance
Could we teach them how to read
Could we teach them how to dance
Or will a war consume them
Their body and their soul
Will their life and blood be poured
Down some endless thirsty hole
Back into the darkness
From which there is no flight
Back into the darkness
Into which there shines no light
Henry M Bechtold
Task 1:
Based on your understanding of the selected poem, perform extensive web research and write a report on your blog detailing the conflict represented in the poem(s) of your choice. Bear in mind that this piece of background information will allow your blog audience to further understand the poem as well as your analysis of the poem in Task 2.Be sure to include your references and credit your sources.
This poem is probably very recent, thus not much of analysis could be found on the internet. However, based on my research, this poem was written by Henry M Bechtold when he was sitting in his hotel room in Saigon just before Christmas 2009, trying to write a poem about the girls who work in the park and how badly men treat them. He was angry but was unable to write anything that did not sound trite or weak. He looked at the TV and the news was on. He did not know what the news reader was saying but in the background was a photo of a small boy with a helmet and an automatic rifle. This poem just flowed out. The words just came to him instantaneously and he typed as fast as he could in order to get it all down.
I feel that this poem is trying to show the conflict between what the poet thinks what "normal children" are supposed to do, in contrast to those children who are forced to fight in the war , which are not what they are supposed to do. It shows that how we children are supposed to be learning and studying at this age, but however some are being forced to fight even though they are at a tender age of 10. They have to learn how to use a gun at combat, how to defend themselves, but in reality, they should be studying and enjoying their childhood. As seen from the poem, they will not be able to free themselves from this situation, as long as they are in the military. The only way for them to "escape" from this is to be "consumed by the war", which is to die in the battlefield. Their bodies will perish without anyone noticing, because there are just to many of the same children fighting in the war. If one dies, no one would remember. The future(light) is bleak for them, but still, fleeing is not an option.
