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Herr Professor
| Open Poetry #42 |
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Herr Professor |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Herr Professor The Professor that Was Forced To Mix Tea... Wonder what it would be like to work in a tea factory, constantly filling tea bags of tea with an endless supply of pepperments and hazels; dried brown, yellow and green leaves, crumbling and crackling inside the mixing drums? And dust, dust, dust everywhere, going into eyes, nose and mouth... for a Professor that had lost his teaching profession to a Nazi regime which branded him a Jew, with few rights or position... to a Professor that lost his home and his typewriter, nor allowed to drive, and oh yes, pets are forbidden, and in this way his cat met his death...to a Professor that had to wear the yellow Jewish star, to a Professor forced to shovel snow, forced into labor in factories, tormented on the street by gangs of boys loyal to Hitler, to a Professor who's self and family and fellow Jews constantly lived with the fear of death, as those around him are sent away to labor and death camps, to a Professor that would rather be teaching, reading and writing... Needless to say he found the work to be monotonous and dull, and yet it remained better than death... JamesLee 30May 2008 Source is from the book "I Will Bear Witness" A Diary of the Nazi years, 1942-45...Victor Klemperer, April 29, Thursday half past five, 1943, pages 220-222. |
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| © Copyright 2008 JamesMichael - All Rights Reserved | |||
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A Romantic Heart Member Ascendant
since 1999-09-03
Posts 5496Forever In Your Heart |
Great poem..I like the subject matter...My favorite memory was visiting the chrysler art museum and look at an abstract piece of art, it was about the Jews , I stood there and cried, it was as though I was viewing their graves...very moving and touching. |
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Alison 
since 2008-01-27
Posts 9318Lumpy oatmeal makes me crazy! |
James, I think that you honored him with your poem and for remembering. Sadly, we don't always learn from history; but, when people write like you did then we remember. Alison |
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Marchmadness Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271So. El Monte, California |
Alison is right. people like yourself help us to remember by your insightful and touching way of writing about history and the human condition. Well done. Ida |
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2islander2 Member Ascendant
since 2008-03-12
Posts 6825by the sea |
Amazing James, I enjoyed very much, It was very interesting. have a nice day yann |
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Margherita Member Seraphic
since 2003-02-08
Posts 22236Eternity |
Take a bow, dear James! This saddened me in more than one way, because you wrote it so well. I really wonder when we will be able to put aside racism, recognizing that we come all from the same divine source and that we are meant to love and respect each other, so that we can finally collaborate for the evolution of human race in its wholeness. Thank you, dear James. I have read recently a very compelling biography of a catholic priest who was forcedly assigned to the SS troups and survived numerous incredible situations, as he succeeded in rescuing and helping many Jews. He was discovered and condemned to death, but surprisingly in the last moment something saved him. He ended up being a Missionary in Japan, where he wrote his biography (only after many of the people he had met had died). He had the habit of talking to God directly and he says he has experienced so many miracles in his uncommon life. Love, Margherita |
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Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Yo James, This is a very fine poem. Bobby |
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r v wooo Senior Member
since 2007-08-07
Posts 656 |
james, interesting reading...thank you for the source. |
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Ray Sharpe Member
since 2008-05-29
Posts 112Tenerife |
Such a lovely way to describe a despicable period in time ...I applaud you |
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graeshine2006 Member
since 2008-06-03
Posts 368The Prairie Lands, USA |
I'm sad - which is good. The point got across. Touching. |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
James... I think I would prefer monotony over death, as well. I'm not afraid of death, just what I would miss out on with the promise of some one day bringing hope. |
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Joyce Johnson
since 2001-03-10
Posts 9912Washington State |
I pray that he was rescued from this monotony and it became just another horror in memory of that terrible time.Joyce |
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