I had began to write about my vacation adventures
but am deferring my travelogue for this jarring image, that I encountered today.
This is the 1972 picture of Kim Phuc, the nine year old girl running naked, scared and burned on the streets after allied South Vietnamese planes had mistakenly dropped napalm bombs on her village. South Vietnamese photographer Nick Ut won the Pulitzer prize for this photograph that changed the world's perception war and its effects on innocent children.
Kim Phuc and son , more than two decades after the war
Hers is an amazing story of unspeakable tragedy and the triumph of the human spirit. After 14 months of hospitalization, 17 surgeries and countless hours of rehabilitation, her body was horribly scarred, her heart bitter, and her spirit crushed. And angry. Her damaged nerves continually sent intense pain signals to her consciousness and everywaking hour was torture.
So how did Kim Phuc become the peaceful and happy person she is today? In a word: forgiveness. In more words, check this out. For the complete works, buy the book.
And here are the lyrics of a song Eric Geurts wrote for Kim.The Girl in the Picture
She's only a child
a running, naked child
so vulnerable
she's only 'bout 9
thin and so fine
so destructible
she's all scarified
her arms swung out wide
to relieve the pain
she lives in Trang Bang
where fire falls from the skies
down Highway 1
there's a girl that screams and cries
and she's running
always running
they call her the Napalm Girl
but she never gives in
trying to get some peace in this world
saved by the click of a camera
she is the girl in the picture
there's fire all around her
and fire inside
"It's too hot, too hot"
she rips off her clothes
but the heat only grows
it's living under her skin
she's frozen in time
'cause she still burns your mind
when you look at her
she lives in Trang Bang
where fire grows on the trees
Down Highway 1
there's a little girl pleading
for peace and she's running
always running
this little Napalm Girl
always willing to forgive
trying to get some peace in this world
she's so strong she can burn your mind
she is the girl in the picture
she lives in Trang Bang
where fire rains from the skies
but she never gives in
trying to get some peace in this world
and she's running
always running
they call her the Napalm Girl
always willing to forgive
trying to get some peace in this worldalways
understandingthis little child of war
she is the girl in the picture.
2 comments:
who wrote the poem?
mayah,
it's a song written by eric geurts for the napalm girl.
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