A Field. My Field

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/338544096965861474/

A field.

Where crops grow to sustain a society.

Where the beauty of nature is seen through progress.

A field.

Where children laugh and play.

The perfect setting for innocence.

A field.

Where the rays of the sun hit all corners of the plane.

Where happiness and peace run hand in hand through beautiful flowers.

A field.

Where hundreds were taken to die.

Where intelligence was shot down.

Why?

Because knowledge is power.

A field.

Where nature’s one serendipitous progress is now a constant reminder of pain.

A field.

Where the sun still shines.

Shines on the blood of the innocent

A field.

This is my field.

Here I come to play.

Here I let myself free.

This is my field.

Here I have picnics with my family

Here I throw a football with my cousins.

Here I play baseball with my friends.

This is my field.

Here I come to read.

And allow my intelligence to grow.

This is my field.

Here a seed has been planted.

Knowledge grows as a school is built.

This is my field.

Where I was lucky enough for my happiness to fertilize the soil.

Not my blood.

This is my field.

In 1978, intelligence was ripped from a society in a location meant for growth. The Cambodian genocide used a technique for mass murder that was later named the Killing Fields. In this year, the dictatorial leader Pol Pot ordered his followers to take hundreds of prisoners who went against his orders and kill them. Pol Pot’s soldiers had dug holes previous to the execution as graves for the damned and then ordered them to kneel in front of their graves as they were brutally murdered with anything the soldiers could find. All those who were sentenced to death would have their names checked off to ensure that they would no longer be a threat to Pol Pot’s rule. The list of people murdered encompassed intellectuals and foreigners who held the ability to question the morals of the current leader.

http://genocideresearchpropel.weebly.com/cambodian-killing-fields.html

I chose to write about this particular genocide because the idea of murdering intelligence seems unfathomable to me. I am privileged enough to live in society where knowledge is respected rather than feared. Where I get to go to school every day and learn how to make the world better place. A place in which genocides are fought against- not just ignored.

I grew up constantly visiting a field near my house where I would do nothing but enjoy myself- where I never had to worry about anyone hurting me or my friends. I wish those hurt in the Cambodian genocide could say the same. I wish Cambodian children could visit their fields and not smell rotting flesh. I wish they could take their pets and not have them dig up the bones of their ancestors.

I wish… I wish.

All I can do is wish- because what happened, happened. There’s no going back- there’s no saving them. The hands of our ancestors have been tainted as they stood by and let thousands suffer.

Why? Why didn’t you save them? Dear civilians, why did you let thousands of people no different than you have their life ripped away from them? What is humanity if not saving those around you? How many need to die before you act on your promises- your promises of saving those in need?

Save them… My dear people, save them.

In memory of all those hurt in the genocides.

Those who were not saved.

I’m sorry.

Selk’nam Genocide: Late 19th Century-Early 20th Century

Zunghar Genocide: 1755-1758

Herero and Namaqua Genocide: 1904-1908

Greek genocide including the Pontic Genocide: 1914-1922

Armenian Genocide: 1915-1922

Assyrian Genocide: 1915-1923

Holodomor: 1932-1933

Porajmos: 1935-1945

Genocide by the Ustaše: 1941-1945

The Holocaust: 1942-1945

Guatemalan Genocide: 1962-1996

Bangladesh Genocide: 1971-1971

Burundian Genocides of Hutus and Tutsis: 1972-1972; 1993-1993

Cambodian Genocide: 1975-1979

Kurdish Genocide: 1986-1989

Bosnian Genocide: 1992-1995

Rwandan Genocide: 1994-1994

Genocide of Yazidis by ISIL: 2014-present

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_genocides_by_death_toll

http://www.lovequotesmessages.com/im-sorry-quotes-apology-quotes/
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

3 thoughts on “A Field. My Field

  1. Dear Sidra,

    This is soooo beautifully written. I remember you talking to me about this piece in social studies and it turned out absolutely amazing! You can really tell the emotion in your piece, and the contrasting and comparing of the two fields is so beautifully done. I’m just astonished! I also love how you named all of the genocides at the end. It makes the piece that much more emotional.

    Something I might suggest for next time (if you do a piece in a similar style) would be to create a clearer space in between your poem and the explanation as the change is very abrupt with just the one line of space. Next time maybe have a picture separating the two instead of off to the side, or maybe have a font change of some description just to make the transition more seamless.

    I can’t wait to read more of your work!!

    -Amy

    1. Dear Amy,
      Thank you so much for taking the time to read my piece! I’m so glad it turned out the way we discussed as I truly wanted to bring justice to such a tragic situation.

      I will definitely implement your advice in future pieces and I can’t wait for you to read them.

      Once again, thank you for taking the time to read my work.

      Sincerely,
      Sidra

  2. Dear Amy,
    Thank you so much for taking the time to read my piece! I’m so glad it turned out the way we discussed as I truly wanted to bring justice to such a tragic situation.

    I will definitely implement your advice in future pieces and I can’t wait for you to read them.

    Once again, thank you for taking the time to read my work.

    Sincerely,
    Sidra

Leave a Reply to sidrazi Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *