Poet explores family trauma from the Korean War and dictatorship

The poem reflects the emotional turmoil faced by families during the Korean War, particularly focusing on the poet's grandfather's disappearance. The poet grapples with the absence and questions the connection to her family's past, yearning to uncover the location of her grandfather's burial and understand his fate. This search symbolizes a broader struggle against the backdrop of North Korean dictatorship, where many families have been torn apart. In her work, Suji Kwock Kim evokes a sense of loss and longing, a continuous cycle of searching for answers linked to historical trauma, aptly illustrating the difficulty of reconciling with the past. The absence of her grandfather is felt deeply, echoing the collective grief experienced by countless families divided by political circumstances. By referencing these historical events, the poet amplifies the haunting truth of lives marked by conflict and separation, questioning whether ignorance of the past might somehow preserve the memory of those lost. The poem is not just a personal lament but a commentary on the larger scars that history inflicts on families and nations. Kim's artistic reflection encourages readers to reflect on the impact of historical trauma and the inherent complexities involved in seeking truth and closure, illuminating the longing for connections that transcend time and political borders.