“ANNAM” by Romeo Esparrago
I had returned.
to find Viet Nam.
To find my past.
To find my lover.
To find my Linh.
I returned.
So in the crags deep and distant from Tu Le,
I searched.
I search for my youth,
I search for my answers,
I search for Linh.
I searched.
I found only a temple.
With scars of my past.
And of scars,
beyond past.
Beyond war with China.
Beyond war with us.
Beyond war with les Francaise.
Beyond.
And of scabs,
beyond fear.
Beyond this time.
Beyond this place.
Beyond this dimension.
Beyond.
Within the temple,
I opened the scabs.
I opened the scars.
I opened the past.
I opened the horror.
I opened.
I had returned them,
to Viet Nam.
To our world.
To our present.
To our horror.
To you.
Oh, Linh.
About the Author and Artist: Romeo Esparrago was a mechanic in the 666th Fighting Foos Division of the Allied Astral Warriors Brigade. He is from the future but lives in our time, and this is retired before he was born.
(c) 2007 Romeo Esparrago
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Very Nice Romeo,
But then I too am a fan of war torn years and what they mean, or what they make us think they mean.
-Chris
p.s. It would be nice to have found Linh, but I seldom have them find joy either, something about tragedy is enlightening. Maybe it is the pain that helps us to see truth. What a shame, I wish I could write happier stories. But I seldom do. And yours was interesting, and was moving, perhaps because I wanted him to find Linh, and because he didn’t.
But I loved it.
Good work.