Kimsom Keoum’s “Refugee”

“Refugee”

I went through hell when I was born 
I nearly died five times.
As a toddler I received a third degree burn from 
a pot of rice that was cooking
My Cambodian name is Sok Chei.
There are pictures of me topless and in my underwear.
I never had a pleasant look on my face in those pictures. 
Soldiers often walked through my birth town.
Gun shots and cries fill the air.
My families were thin, so thin you could see their rib cages. 
When we fled we ran a lot.
I don’t think we took any of our things with us.
My family was packed in a truck.
My mom and dad were given many papers to hold on to. 
Pictures were taken.
My dad had to hold me a sign with the
ID number assigned to me.
Our fingerprints were taken.
Then we were taken to a place with lots of flies. 
That became our new home.

I would like to say I remembered the experience. But I don’t.
My memories are based on pictures, documents and stories my family told me.
I am a refugee.