5438079

5438079

This was the number burnt into her arm

as her grandmother was telling her

that every thing would be all right.

Don`t cry she would say every thing

will be okay tomorrow will be a better day

as they were herded toward the train

Poor Mr. Kurtz was shot for not boarding

just do as they say my grandmother would say

tomorrow every thing will be ok

But I could see the fear in her eye`s

often I would see her cry,we were

separated from my parents at the last camp

Grandmother says we will be together soon they won`t tell us where we are going but it`s cold on this train

we have no food to eat but grandmother

has some bread hid in her coat it`s food she would say

When we arrived at the camp it was a nightmare

some people had no clothes and they looked as if

they were being starved to death and they

huddled around each other to keep from freezing

A smile came over grandmothers face when she

saw my father and brother but my momma

wasn`t there my grandmother and father cried

they would beat us and kill the old people

don`t worry about me she would say

They killed my father and brother they took me away

my grandmother was put in the gas chamber

I heard the people say

But one morning soldiers came in with food

and blankets just like my grandmother would say

but she never got to see this day...

Author's Note

Reviews

[....................]

As I watch and read I am reminded of all the atrocities that unfolded during this period of history and in the history before and in the history we will someday continue to write. Ridding the world of this kind of hatred and brutality was, is and should be of top priority for those who can. For years I taught this part of history and in preparing for the task read countless stories that compare to your write. In some of your lines I was brought back to NIGHT by Elie Wiesel - a tragic tale of broken spirits and faded hope. I am happy - as much as one can be happy when talking about the Holocaust - that many survivors have gone on to become proponents for world peace and are around to shed light on the real atrocities of war and hate.

A well-penned write, wordman.

[wordman]

I thank you,life filled with haters I believe will remain until the end
greed,power and hate

[....................]

I guess, then, we should prepare for a long journey.

[wordman]

we`re almost there my friend,almost there

[....................]

I'm ready!

[W R Stowe]

I agree with Marie you wrote the story of the Holocaust in poetic form but as difficult and hard as it is we need to love and pray for people like this if we truly love Christ because even the non-believers love those that love them very good write wordman

Bill

[wordman]

thank you bill

[W R Stowe]

your quite welcome

[Marie]

Incredible. You posted this as a story, but have written it in poetic stanzas. I can understand why. It makes a more powerful statement this way.

Beautiful and touching.

[wordman]

thank you maria for the visit,it`s still going on today around the world

[Valentine]

This write really hits me hard. My grandmother was Jewish, her forefathers were killed there, one escaped to France. Learned the French language and came to America, saying he was a Frenchman. When I went to school my heritage was listed as French. Later I was told the truth. I have third and fourth cousins that are Orthodox Jews, I was raised the same as my father, Christian. Until this day I do not know how many died there. Sad write for those poor people. Valentine

[wordman]

thank you Kathie,it is sad when a country tries to run your life
and will kill you in a instant and it is more than the jewish people was watching news today about the turks and the polish people

[Taylor]

This poem is gripping and of course there are so many layers of meaning -- what you have written, the tragic video that you have posted, the numerical title plus the knowledge that each reader has of the terrible crimes Hitler committed against humanity. Notice, I did not say "against the Jews," because what happened to the "Jews" happened to us all as the human family. Your poem is very powerful. The images are poignant, the reassurance of the grandmother and her ultimate loss of life before her promised "better day" was realized. I'm not sure whether it was intentional, but your use of we was separated... rather than we were separated caused me to pause -- I'm not sure that's what you wanted the reader to do there and I'm not sure what the function of an incorrect verb would be there. I really know so little about poetry that I hesitate to write a critique of a poem and I understand that this may not be at all helpful or on target. Perhaps it doesn't matter, but I notice that you have divided the poem into stanzas, some consisting of three lines, some four and some five. There also is a line in the fifth stanza that is much longer than any other in the entire poem. If it matters, perhaps you might look into that. Maybe another reviewer more knowledgeable than I could weigh in on that. Nevertheless, you have written a poem with great pathos. In reading it, I am moved to pay honor to those noble souls who did their best to encourage the young and to help them survive the unspeakable.

[wordman]

I really appreciate your visit taylor it was an error I will fix and the poem is posted at post poems
and they are generally 3 lines so I tried for 4 but didn`t always work

[Jamestown]

So sad, but unfortunately true for so many! This is hate with a capital H
and it truly sickens me, i can't imagine the unbelievable days these poor
people must of went through, what they had seen, heard and forced to do
makes the hair on the back of my neck stand:( Thanks for sharing and b-blessed!

[wordman]

thank you for the visit james

[JayceeC]

Looks like you pulled out the stops for this one Word. Just a few grammaticals. Grand mother= Grandmother and o k needs either OK or okay. Well written poem about a very sad historical tragedy. ..I wonder what future generations will say about us.

[wordman]

thank you jc there will be no more generations,maybe one
and I will edit

[JayceeC]

Saw the edit..looks better...clean. Butvdid you mean for thevfirst three lines to be so small. Just looks like you missed highlighting them.

[JayceeC]

Looks like you got it i was posting it

[wordman]

should be the same

[Jimmy Yetts]

Infinitely tragic!
Distasteful to confront but, lest we forget...
Thank you, wordman, for starkly portraying what the great George Washington often warned us about: Government is force. It is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.
A fearful master!

[wordman]

thank you Frankie,and you are right it`s always big government and he actually knew

[...]

Wow Ron,I almost wish I didn't read this, because it sickens me the hate and horror humans are capable of. This was very well written and deeply disturbing

[wordman]

thank you lynn didn`t have time to edit but I guess it will pass
and it`s a lot more than this episode satan at his worst I guess

[...]

I don't believe in satan. Kinda like the boggy-man But bad people are "satans" of their own

[wordman]

well lynn I would hate to know that people could be so evil on their own
without the help of satan

[...]

:) i respect your beliefs my friend. Mine are just different ((( U )))

[wordman]

I see right now young lady you and I need to have a long talk and after dinner we will lol

[...]

hahahahahaha your sweet, ron

[AaronFreitas]

This is a deep story with a ton of truth behind how bad it was for these people. I would never wish that harm towards anyone. You created a beautiful story my friend great job.

[wordman]

I thank you for reading