The Penlogue
A Man in Armor
Bui Gia Khanh Pham
a man in armor
a man with amor
whose armor didn’t blend into his inner flame
whose armor, stained, didn’t dye himself red.
don’t label them as soldiers
don’t call them warriors
they aren’t just pawns in the shadow and glamor of war:
They are men — with tender hearts and ardent souls
a man with amor
whose armor is perforated so
holes of war rage can let streams
of humanity flow.
so, hold some amor
to men in armor.
a man in armor
a man with amor
whose armor didn’t blend into his inner flame
whose armor, stained, didn’t dye himself red.
don’t label them as soldiers
don’t call them warriors
they aren’t just pawns in the shadow and glamor of war:
They are men — with tender hearts and ardent souls
a man with amor
whose armor is perforated so
holes of war rage can let streams
of humanity flow.
so, hold some amor
to men in armor.
Author's note
"On a spontaneous decision to visit the Fukuoka Art Museum, I was able to witness more than 30 artworks from Tanaka Chisata 1st White Wall Project: Horizon and Road. I could vividly recall my impression of it: I loved the signature pitch dark background, but I was even more stirred by the messages lying under the titles of the artwork.
I stood before A Man in Armor for quite a while, for the holes on the soldier’s vest contrasted the rest with the color of flame if I’m not mistaken. It felt like the two identities of a soldier melting into each other, so I wonder, would brutal killings smear their moral compass blur?
In this poem, "amor" means love, though it holds such meaning more prevalently in Spanish & Portuguese.
