A Rabbi’s Blessing

holocaust poem based off a survivor story of Eva Galler

oblivious, i was, not knowing what would strike next. 

suddenly, large objects with wings flew above my head. 

it was too late they overruled our city; my land was forever changed. 

i was useless, unable to speak, caged in my own home with nothing but dismay. 

confusion lurked at the bottom of my lost mind, 

what was i to do with this plight? 

 

flames, before my eyes, all that i ever had, now forgotten. 

our prayer books, the torah scrolls, everything was gone. 

pain wounded my withering bones like a blade of ice piercing my heart. 

i was nothing to them, just a piece of ash floating in the air. 

lonely souls, in hunger for love, nothing would repair the damage they had done. 

 

malnourished bodies searched for food, eating grass off the ground. 

28 people within one room, why such an inhumane act? 

breached the laws of human rights by throwing us into those ghettos. 

depression spread throughout our hearts and minds, 

people prayed and hoped but there was no salvation. 

 

taken away, on a run-away train i jumped to save my life. 

my father said, "You run, i know you will stay alive, 

for you have the Belzer Rebbe's blessing," please stay wise. 

his helpless eyes urged me to believe that i will still live. 

my brother and sister did not survive the jump 

however, i kept them close in my mind. 

 

licking my stinging lips, tinged with blue, my fear grew. 

ominous branches reached out to grab me 

like filthy hands tearing at the Star of David. 

removing my identity from my arm, i continued on my lonely way. 

smoke entangled my hair like worries snaking through my body. 

tension within my aching bones released a salt water sea that flooded from my eyes. 

 

i felt envious of the bright figures staring down at me, 

freely dancing amongst the night. 

why don’t i have freedom like the stars? 

s.ms

 

 

Reviews

[Planet x]

God bless you for writing such a touching poem, it touched my heart
So important to listen to the last survivors , they are going to disappear soon and no one will stay to tell the story of what happened in the camps , when people turned to animals
Your poem will help to keep the memory.

[s.ms]

thank you, it's such a terrible tragedy that we must prevent from reoccurring in the future. I wanted to write this to share the struggles that one faced during this time.