Some one mentioned the 'Holocaust' the old Jewish man said 'no' Such word i do not wish to hear that happened years ago Then he slowly folded up his sleeve and numbers etched in blue Told of the sufferings he'd known and all he had been through.
A silence fell o'er one and all across the club room floor And in his presence 'Holocaust' not mentioned any more We had amongst us in the flesh one who had lived through hell But i wish that he could have spoke of sufferings he could tell.
Don't mention 'Holocaust' to me with one wave of his hand A silence fell o'er one and all how could we understand? The agony he had been through, the torture and the pain We did not mention 'Holocaust' no not to him again.
My heart went to that Jewish man who sought no sympathy He wanted to block out his past as a bad memory Don't mention 'Holocaust' to me and little else he said But i could picture living soul whose thoughts were with the dead.
That night i did not sleep too well i had recurring dream I watched the hungry slowly die, i heard the tortured scream I saw a gray haired jewish man the sorrow on his face And i was in another time a dark and a sadder place.
I woke and when i went to sleep the dream returned to me Of Jewish man with tragic past who sought no sympathy I see a young man in his prime with a hunger wasted frame With numbers branded on his hand 'they'd robbed him of his name'.
Some one mentioned the 'Holocaust' the old jewish man said 'no' Such word i do not wish to hear that happened years ago Then he slowly folded up his sleeve and numbers etched in blue Told of the sufferings he'd known and all he had been through.
Flames By: Jillian Allen
Locked up, Like a criminal, Though they did no wrong. Can you imagine what life must have been, For those who know this well?
They lost their freedom, They lost all hope, And all they were left with, Were broken hearts, And broken homes.
Their whole lives gone, In a matter of days, Because someone says their not good enough, To stay.
Massacred and murdered, By the dozens, by the hundreds, By the thousands, Children, and their parents, Split apart. Some survived, But how few this must have been, When everything around them was in, Flames.
Did he know? by: new decade
Did he know? Did he care? Living the day. Acclimating, assimilating, so exhilarating! Did he know? Did he care? Separate laws, empty shtetls only ghettos, quarters galore no more
Liquidation, roundups, shoot-ups, histories no more Babies thrown against the wall 4, 5, 11, 17 Cries for manna, all praying like Chana, no light in sight Pits or ashes as it all just passes. Hard fall to the earth or gasping for air, skyward merging, returning, uniting, one soul inhaled. Cold, cold earth, cries, where’s my brother, my keeper? Did you ask? Did you wonder? Did you write? Expulsed, Expelled, Courts shut down, hidden or driven, Fled only to be burned, no stakes, no shows, only lifeless bones. Disintegrated, names untold. Branches empty with leafs all scorched, dissipated into dark and heavy air. No remnant to repair, no Shiva to prepare 21, 25, 26, 36 Did you know to pray? Did anyone speak or was it all just hushed away. Tree of oak, solid, staying afloat, now to shores we go by boat. Golden minute to golden moment, tres landed, Are your soles golden? Are we once again emboldened? Should we ponder if to wander farther? Are we charmed or might we still be harmed? Tree of oak, branches now hallowed out. Leaves dying about. Wilting, withering any chance my branch will now sprout out? Did he care, how could you not know? Did you weep when we were awoken from our sleep? Did you search? Did you mourn as branches no more would be born? Was there even a moment of regret as your people now wept? Any built up guilt as you safely tucked him in his quilt? As others no more had a beat, at this last defeat. Living freely, acclimating assimilating, how exhilarating!
les we forget by: joseph alan
My Parents said A letter came It said we must report With only things We could carry What does this mean…deport?
I packed my clothes All of my toys But could not lift it all Mother said “Dear Take some dresses And pick your favorite doll” Within just days The soldiers came By the end of that day We were packed tight In railroad cars What’s a “Jew” anyway?
Eternity In that boxcar We finally arrived At our new home They called Kovno Happy to be alive
But Kovno was So crowded and So cold with little heat Father bartered As best he could Just to find food to eat
Still I made friends With other kids Untold months we spent there We had to wear These pretty stars Barbed wire was everywhere
Then one day in Late forty-three Or nineteen forty-four More soldiers came With endless trains… We had to move once more
Families were split Against their will “It’s not right!” one man said A soldier swung His rifle and Struck him right on his head
The man collapsed Down to the ground His blood was everywhere The soldier yelled “Get on that train Or you’ll wind up down there!”
The three of us Climbed on the train As quickly as we could Packed in so tight I could not breathe But crying did no good
They slammed the door And locked it shut Off to another town The train jerked so I lost footing With no room to fall down
I don’t know how Long we spent there It smelled so very bad It least we’re not Stuck in Kovno To leave there made me glad
Perhaps we’ll go Somewhere better I looked on the bright side It can’t be worse Than Kovno at The end of this train ride
Somehow I slept Still standing up In so much misery I’d wake up to See nervous smiles Of those pressed around me
The train finally Came to a stop The door flung open wide I could not move My legs were numb I was just pushed outside
As I got up Off of the ground Soldiers were everywhere We were sorted In different groups “No, you go over there” They told Father “Stand over there” Without a second look Mother and I Were sent elsewhere We were “unfit for work” They led men off Some children were Taken from their Mother It thought it strange The children took Looked just like each other “The rest of you To Birkenau” I did not want to go At least here work Would make us free It’s true…the sign said so My Mother said “We must go child Don’t look, don’t even speak We must show them How strong we are They’ll kill us if we’re weak” They put us all Into some trucks Confusion everywhere In minutes I Saw chimneys Belching smoke in the air Again we stopped To more shouting We were led down some stairs “You’ve got to have A shower now So everyone prepare”
They made me leave My doll behind With my clothes in a pile I’d get them back Once I was clean “In just a little while” Into a room Long and narrow The door closed hard and tight Mother looked scared I know I was ‘Cause something was not right “Where’s the water” I asked Mother She said she could not tell As panic broke Out in the room Something began to smell Screaming followed With sheer terror Mother cried out my name She held me tight Fell to her knees Finally the darkness came The last thoughts I Had on this Earth Was “I tried to be strong To make Mother And Father proud What did I do so wrong?”
The child’s body Just as her doll Thrown in a pile like trash Until their turn In a furnace As they both burned to ash As I think of A little child With remorse and regret I always hear The wise words spoke They say…Lest We Forget
first they came for the jews by: Martin niemoller
First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.
Holocaust Nightmare by: teona
Forgotten memories are all that's left Thousands of people put to rest Young children the age of eight To save them it was to late Most nights were filled with tears Helpless people unable to control their fears Gas chambers were their fate As soon as they reached the gate Hitler was in control To massacre thousands the goal No matter how good they may have been That was overlooked and never seen People may have cried But that doesn't help those who have died It's ok saying let's rewind the past But those thoughts never happen to last What we should promise now and today Is to the never let us see that day Where we kill innocent life's just for fun Make people live in fear on the run We should celebrate equality Not man kinds insanity
homesick by: anonymous
I've lived in the ghetto here more than a year, In Terezín, in the black town now, And when I remember my old home so dear, I can love it more than I did, somehow.
Ah, home, home, Why did they tear me away? Here the weak die easy as a feather And when they die, they die forever.
I'd like to go back home again, It makes me think of sweet spring flowers. Before, when I used to live at home, It never seemed so dear and fair.
I remember now those golden days… But maybe I'll be going there again soon.
People walk along the street, You see at once on each you meet That there's a ghetto here, A place of evil and of fear. There's little to eat and much to want, Where bit by bit, it's horror to live. But no one must give up! The world turns and times change.
Yet we all hope the time will come When we'll go home again. Now I know how dear it is And often I remember it.
fear by: eva pickova
Today the ghetto knows a different fear, Close in its grip, Death wields an icy scythe. An evil sickness spreads a terror in its wake, The victims of its shadow weep and writhe.
Today a father's heartbeat tells his fright And mothers bend their heads into their hands. Now children choke and die with typhus here, A bitter tax is taken from their bands.
My heart still beats inside my breast While friends depart for other worlds. Perhaps it's better – who can say? – Than watching this, to die today?
No, no, my God, we want to live! Not watch our numbers melt away. We want to have a better world, We want to work – we must not die!
the butterfly by: pavel friedmann
The last, the very last, So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow. Perhaps if the sun's tears would sing against a white stone…
Such, such a yellow Is carried lightly ‘way up high. It went away I'm sure because it wished to kiss the world goodbye.
For seven weeks I've lived in here, Penned up inside this ghetto But I have found my people here. The dandelions call to me And the white chestnut candles in the court. Only I never saw another butterfly.
That butterfly was the last one. Butterflies don't live in here, In the ghetto.
together forever (a holocaust story) by: nicole swatton
Together Forever
The kids are playing peacefully The birds are singing in harmony The families celebrate happily They had no clue what was happening
Hitler was part of daily talk As his evil revolution was spreading
Jews out! Jews out! Screamed to mother, father, and son Then the Nazi pulled the trigger on his gun The father fell to the floor as the mother screamed The child cries while shuddering
They are pulled away and stuck into a rail car The mother and child are trapped between the bars The rail cars only signs of hope are outside in the stars
The car trapped the souls of the dead inside 11 million people died
The smell of death lingers in the air None of the Nazis even cared
Rotten bodies are rolled out one by one Many people try to run Bang! Bang! Goes the guns as the Nazis shoot for fun.
Left! Right! Left! Are called to the innocent people in line The mother realized she and her son didn't have much time They both are sent to the right, towards life But they must be separated
Mother and son ripped apart She told him to listen to his fragile heart
The showers seem to be made of liquid ice Their heads are shaven so there is no lice
Work! Schnell! Work! Are all they are ever told How could someone's heart ever be so cold?
Tattoos of numbers are their new names Nothing would ever be the same.
Cry, sob, sniffle. Were the only sounds in the barracks The chosen where rounded up into packs
They would never again come out of Lilith's Cave Their souls let out in the smoke, all of them were brave
The grasp of hope and faith slipping from the child's hands The only thing they could do was follow commands
Just when the mother gave up The Americans came to the rescue It's been four years in the camp The son looked for his mother
Could that be her? Could it be? He was surrounded by ghostly, skeleton, bodies He found her with clumps of white hair on her head She looked as if she was dead
But she wasn't because of her happy smile They will remember the words "Arbeit Macht Frei" for awhile They never let each other go