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Open Poetry #43
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I was not there (a sonnet with notes)
| Open Poetry #43 |
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I was not there (a sonnet with notes) |
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TheAnonDavid Member
since 2008-08-28
Posts 237UK 
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I recently read a story about the children of Izieu. On 6th April 1944, three vehicles pulled up in front of the Jewish children's home in Izieu. Forty four children and seven supervisors were dragged on to the lorries and transported to Auschwitz. Only one survived I was not born the day the children wept, The day the soldiers stole them from their beds. I was not there that final night they slept In dream filled rest, soft pillows holding heads For one last time as childhood's secret schemes Framed new adventures, planning ev'ry day With carefree ease. Untroubled dreams Were slashed in moments, ripped and torn away. And yet, I was not there to witness lost And frightened lack of understanding take Their innocence. Each fragile form was tossed As carelessly as pebbles in a lake. And who was in the world to stop and care? Not me! I told you - no, I was not there. We must never forget those children and the adults seized with them. Never say, "I couldn't help. I wasn't there." Sami Adelsheimer, 5 Hans Ament, 10 Nina Aronowicz, 12 Max-Marcel Balsam, 12 Jean-Paul Balsam, 10 Esther Benassayag, 12 Elie Benassayag, 10 Jacob Benassayag, 8 Jacques Benguigui, 12 Richard Benguigui, 7 Jean-Claude Benguigui, 5 Barouk-Raoul Bentitou, 12 Majer Bulka, 13 Albert Bulka, 4 Lucienne Friedler, 5 Egon Gamiel, 9 Maurice Gerenstein, 13 Liliane Gerenstein, 11 Henri-Chaïm Goldberg, 13 Joseph Goldberg, 12 Mina Halaunbrenner, 8 Claudine Halaunbrenner, 5 Georges Halpern, 8 Arnold Hirsch, 17 Isidore Kargeman, 10 Renate Krochmal, 8 Liane Krochmal, 6 Max Leiner, 8 Claude Levan-Reifman, 10 Fritz Loebmann, 15 Alice-Jacqueline Luzgart, 10 Paula Mermelstein, 10 Marcel Mermelstein, 7 Theodor Reis, 16 Gilles Sadowski, 8 Martha Spiegel, 10 Senta Spiegel, 9 Sigmund Springer, 8 Sarah Szulldaper, 11 Max Tetelbaum, 12 Herman Tetelbaum, 10 Charles Weltner, 9 Otto Wertheimer, 12 Emile Zucherberg, 5 Lucie Feiger, 49 Mina Friedler, 32 Sarah Levan-Reifman, 36 Eva Reifman, 61 Moïse Reifman, 63 Miron Zlatin, 39 and Lea Feldblum, 27, the sole survivor. shalom |
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| © Copyright 2008 David M M (UK) - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Marchmadness Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271So. El Monte, California |
What a toughing and meaningful story as well as sad and beautiful poem. I wasn't there either, David but I certainly will never forget these things as long as I live. Thanks for reminding us all. Ida |
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Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Yo TheAnonDavid, This is good work. It brings to mind Anthony Hecht’s poem “The Book of Yolek”. I cry every time I read “The Book of Yolek”. Wir haben ein Gesetz, Und nach dem Gesetz soll er sterben.* The dowsed coals fume and hiss after your meal Of grilled brook trout, and you saunter off for a walk Down the fern trail, it doesn’t matter where to, Just so you’re weeks and worlds away from home, And among midsummer hills have set up camp In the deep bronze glories of declining day. You remember, peacefully, an earlier day In childhood, remember a quite specific meal: A corn roast and bonfire in summer camp. That summer you got lost on a Nature Walk; More than you dared admit, you thought of home; No one else knows where the mind wanders to. The fifth of August, 1942. It was morning and very hot. It was the day They came at dawn with rifles to The Home For Jewish Children, cutting short the meal Of bread and soup, lining them up to walk In close formation off to a special camp. How often you have thought about that camp, As though in some strange way you were driven to, And about the children, and how they were made to walk, Yolek who had bad lungs, who wasn’t a day Over five years old, commanded to leave his meal And shamble between armed guards to his long home. We’re approaching August again. It will drive home The regulation torments of that camp Yolek was sent to, his small, unfinished meal, The electric fences, the numeral tattoo, The quite extraordinary heat of the day They all were forced to take that terrible walk. Whether on a silent, solitary walk Or among crowds, far off or safe at home, You will remember, helplessly, that day, And the smell of smoke, and the loudspeakers of the camp. Wherever you are, Yolek will be there, too. His unuttered name will interrupt your meal. Prepare to receive him in your home some day. Though they killed him in the camp they sent him to, He will walk in as you’re sitting down to a meal. *(We have a law, and by that law he must die.) Bobby |
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Earth Angel Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215Realms of Light |
Such horror! I have been sitting in prayerful silence after reading your gut-wrenching poem of human tragedies. For Lea Feldblum to have survived and the children having all perished, must have haunted her for the rest of her days. As I read each of the names, I sent up a little prayer. I am overcome with an intense sadness right now ~ mixed with intense ANGER at what was done to those unfortunate children. I will never be able to comprehend such atrocities. Love, Harmony, Peace ~ and Child Light, EA |
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2islander2 Member Ascendant
since 2008-03-12
Posts 6825by the sea |
Thank you David for the poem, I read every name of the list one by one and cried.... regards yann |
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Pestillence Junior Member
since 2008-09-03
Posts 25England |
Hey there, liked this, it is a very sinister time that you reflect on. Also had a good first person narrative, liked it, keep going. |
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Bonnie j Senior Member
since 2003-06-27
Posts 1588Ohio |
One of the first things I thought was.... 'You can always tell what kind of society they were living in by the way they treat their children." From the pictures I have seen and stories I have read. Those poor babies were better off to be taken and to rest in eternal sleep. Then to slowly starve to death or be beaten, or skined to make someone a lamp shade or used as a sexual toy or many other horrors that sick humans can come up with. That era had a sickness which raises it ugly head even today. But... As I said in the beginning... You can know a society by the way it treats its children, also how the elderly are treated. Thoughts... so many thoughts. I guess I'll get off my soapbox. Hugs BonBon  |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Sobful and wordless. Read every name. - Owl |
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TheAnonDavid Member
since 2008-08-28
Posts 237UK |
I think you missed the point, Bonnie. These children, although orphans, were in a caring community until they were dragged away. They paid the price, in evil times, of not being born of the prescribed blood line. They paid the price of innocence. |
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Bonnie j Senior Member
since 2003-06-27
Posts 1588Ohio |
Hi I did get the point you were expressing. I guess it was one of those days where words had to come out and maybe I was misunderstood. I hope I did not sound hard-hearted or cold.Oh! Here I go again words flooding my mind. I better shut up while the going is good. Hugs BonBon |
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Robert E. Jordan Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-25
Posts 8541Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Yo TheAnonDavid, I think you missed Bon-Bon's point. Bobby |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
Fine writing...every tender word...James |
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Alison 
since 2008-01-27
Posts 9318Lumpy oatmeal makes me crazy! |
This is the poem that I choose to end my night with. You, David, have made a mark on me with it. With every poem of yours that I read, I want to welcome you to PiP again. I am enjoying your work and thank you for sharing it with all of us. Alison |
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sklagurl17 Junior Member
since 2008-09-08
Posts 43nc. |
TheAnonDavid this is by far the best poem i've ever read about the Holocaust. |
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TheAnonDavid Member
since 2008-08-28
Posts 237UK |
Thank you all. The poem was not easy for me to write - putting the words together was easy enough but I couldn't help feeling the immense sadness (and indeed, incredulity) as I thought about what I was writing and as I pictured the events actually happening. I was not there, but I will be every time from now on and I know that you will all be standing shoulder to shoulder with me. |
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