Task 1-- Children in the darkness

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

Background information

The conflicts represented in this poem are the Indochina wars and the Cambodian-Vietnamese war. In these four wars, namely the first, second, third Indochina wars and the Cambodian-Vietnamese war, both sides always had military use of children, such as for spies, porters, messengers, lookouts ,take a direct part in hostilities or even as human shields on the battlefield. These children can be as young as 10 years old. Also, they received little, or even no military training, thus making them easy targets on the battlefield, to opponents or even to their squadron members and themselves. During these wars, children were brainwashed to the extent that they would obey literally any order without hesitation.

The poet for this poem, Henry M Bechtold, says that his mistress is Vietnam herself, and while it fills him with exquisite joy, also breaks his heart. He is actually talking about how the history of Vietnam has affected the people’s lives up till now.

In the poem, he laments about how the children of Vietnam will always be in fear of death as they are sent to the battlefield during the periods of the various wars. Thus, since they are already about to die, and adding to the fact that they are so young, means that they will never even learn how to hold a pen or recognise a letter before they are sent to the battlefield.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_use_of_children

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indochina_Wars

http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Military-use-of-children