This story touches on war, and those who have died. You can close it at any time. Stopping is also a way of protecting yourself.
This is not medical care. If it feels heavy → findahelpline.com (free helplines, by country)
In Japan: Yorisoi Hotline 0120-279-338 (24h, free) / Inochi no Denwa 0570-783-556
This is not medical care. If it feels heavy → findahelpline.com (free helplines, by country)
In Japan: Yorisoi Hotline 0120-279-338 (24h, free) / Inochi no Denwa 0570-783-556
Method 1PAGE 01 / 10
Light for What Has Been Forgotten
Method 1
This story speaks of war, and of those who have died.
You can close it at any time.
Stopping is also a strength that protects you.
You can close it at any time.
Stopping is also a strength that protects you.
Please don't carry it alone.
findahelpline.com — free, confidential helplines, by country
In Japan: Yorisoi Hotline 0120-279-338（24h・free）
Inochi no Denwa 0570-783-556（10:00–22:00）
findahelpline.com — free, confidential helplines, by country
In Japan: Yorisoi Hotline 0120-279-338（24h・free）
Inochi no Denwa 0570-783-556（10:00–22:00）
A family is one bodyPAGE 02 / 10
In a family,
everyone
has a seat
everyone
has a seat
A child never born
has a seat too
has a seat too
I thought
we were five
we were five
Truly,
we were seven
we were seven
Not in this world,
and yet
there,
all along
and yet
there,
all along
Where no light reachesPAGE 03 / 10
A family
is one body
is one body
Where no one
has ever shone
a light
has ever shone
a light
there,
love cannot reach
love cannot reach
Love
bends out of shape
bends out of shape
And it can reach
the child
born next
the child
born next
The child who kept sleepingPAGE 04 / 10
A child who slept
almost without waking
for the first
three years
almost without waking
for the first
three years
They came to check
that he was
still breathing
that he was
still breathing
Deep in the parents' heart
there was a lid,
closed tight
there was a lid,
closed tight
By sleeping, the child
kept that lid
from opening
kept that lid
from opening
He had no choice
but to keep sleeping
but to keep sleeping
The island that could not speakPAGE 05 / 10
My father and mother
were on
Jeju Island
were on
Jeju Island
1948,
the Jeju 4·3
incident
the Jeju 4·3
incident
In eight years,
one in eight
of the island's people
one in eight
of the island's people
were gone
Even within a family,
no one could speak
no one could speak
Even weeping
was not allowed
was not allowed
There was nothing
to do but put
a lid on it all
to do but put
a lid on it all
I will tell themPAGE 06 / 10
You have been here
all this time,
forgotten
all this time,
forgotten
I will tell them
about you
about you
To those who are meant
to hear it,
I will tell it truly
to hear it,
I will tell it truly
They heard it,
and were satisfied
and were satisfied
And from then on
he no longer
needed to sleep
he no longer
needed to sleep
After only once
Grandfather never spoke of itPAGE 07 / 10
Grandfather never
spoke a word
about the war
spoke a word
about the war
It was not that
he would not.
He could not
he would not.
He could not
They all died,
and he alone
came home
and he alone
came home
That
becomes guilt
becomes guilt
Speaking would ease it,
and yet it is too
frightening to speak
and yet it is too
frightening to speak
What gathers inside
turns,
little by little, to guilt
turns,
little by little, to guilt
With the child who was never bornPAGE 08 / 10
Sometimes we are one
with the child
who was never born
with the child
who was never born
Waking in the morning,
feeling somehow
doubled
feeling somehow
doubled
It is very hard
to live that way
to live that way
I'm sorry
I didn't notice
until now
I didn't notice
until now
It's all right now.
I am
here
I am
here
How would you
have wanted
it to be?
have wanted
it to be?
To play
together
with everyone
together
with everyone
A son of twentyPAGE 09 / 10
For a long time
there was a child
whose body was weak
there was a child
whose body was weak
Far back in the line,
a boy of twenty
who went to the war
a boy of twenty
who went to the war
Even told it was
for his country
for his country
Even weeping
was forbidden—
his heart
could not hold it
was forbidden—
his heart
could not hold it
To guilt, always
send
forgiveness
send
forgiveness
Love, and forgiveness
We will not forgetPAGE 10 / 10
Ancestors,
truly,
it was so hard
truly,
it was so hard
We will not forget.
I will tell
the others too
I will tell
the others too
“I return the light to you”
alone does not
settle it
alone does not
settle it
At the end, I wanted
to speak to my mother
to speak to my mother
That —
I will carry it
to her
I will carry it
to her
When light is shone
on what has been forgotten
on what has been forgotten
it turns
into love
into love
1 / 10
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