Down By The River Poem by RIC BASTASA

we went there for a vacation
with the kids and their mother
passing by the rough road and
then crossing the brown river
of Serongan
and then i pause for a while
to simmer with the silence of my
weary soul
for here somewhere buried by
the stones and covered by the grass
beside this flowing river lie the bodies
of two rebels who in 1970 were shot
to death by the green soldiers
and silently did i offer some prayers
for those who fought and did not fear
death for country and people.
the kids play on the water as their mother
watch
above the blue skies
and around us the trees
beyond this forest
the huge rocks and stones
shall forever keep that facade
of heroes silenced.