Friday, December 18, 2009

A camp for children whose crime was being born

Here is a clip from Miss Saigon of Peter Polycarpou singing "Bui Doi". This song always make my hair stand because of the powerful moving voice of Peter and of course my heart aches for those poor bui doi.



They're called Bui-Doi
The Dust of life
Conceived in hell
And born is strife
They are the the living reminders
Of all the good we failed to do
We can't forget
Must not forget
That they are all
Our children too

Like all survivors, I once thought
When I'm home I won't give a damn
But now I know I'm caught
I'll never leave Vietnam

War isn't over when it ends
Some pictures never leave you mind
They are the faces of the children
The ones we left behind

They're called Bui-Doi
The dust of life
Conceived in hell
And born in strife
They are the living reminders
Of all the good we failed to do
We can't forget
Must not forget
That they are all
Our children too

These kids hit walls on every side
They don't belong in any place
Their secret they can't hide
Its printed on their face

I never thought I'd plead
For half-breeds from a land that's torn
But then I saw a camp for children
Whose crime was being born

They're called Bui-Doi
The dust of life
Conceived in hell
And born in strife
We owe them fathers, and a family -
And loving home they never knew
Because we know
Deep in our hearts
That they are all
Our children too

These are souls in need
They need us to give
Someone has to pay
For their chance to life
Help me try

They're called Bui-Doi
The dust of life
Conceived in hell
And born in strife
They are the living reminders
Of all the good we failed to do
That's why we know
Deep in our hearts
That they are all
Our children too

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