Erase a memory.
Erase a generation.
Erase life.
Bury the memory,
bury lives.
Blood on your hands.
Stains on your soul.
The moon and stars weep
the moon and stars witnessed the massacre.
The moon and stars witnessed sorrow rise into survival,
despair into hope,
darkness into light.
Erase a memory.
Erase the past.
Erase me not.
The legacy in my veins,
my voice carried by the wind.
My seeds scattered over distant lands,
stories unfold,
stories retold,
stories never forgotten.
This is dedicated to my husband, his family and the Armenian people. Today is the remembrance day of the Armenian genocide. Recently I wrote a poem about my husband's grandfather and how he saved a train full of children during that time. He was a brave young boy that grew up and shared his stories with my husband. We retell from one generation to another, the sorrow and triumph. 1.5 million Armenians were murdered and the Ottoman Empire- Turkey today will not acknowledge the murders of the Armenians. I am adding the link to the poem that I wrote about my husband's grandfather here, http://asunkissedlife-ayala.blogspot.com/2011/12/potato-in-his-pocket.html . Please meet us here, http://dversepoets.com/ where we share our thoughts and our hearts.
Another great tribute, and one must always remember or doomed to repeat, even if humans seem stupid enough to repeat such acts anyway.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pat.
Deletebeautiful tribute, Ayala! and so true. living forever is what hero's, good people and the innocent do best. Couldn't have wrote it better myself!
ReplyDeletethank you for sharing such a beautiful part of you :)
Thank you, Hope. I appreciate it.
DeleteMoving words Ayala. I especially like this line, "My seeds scattered over distant lands,
ReplyDeletestories unfold,stories retold, stories never forgotten."
Thank you, Rudri. Stories never forgotten !
Deletesmiles...i am def more for letting the seed scatter and the stories free like birds...really a lovely tribute ayala...never forgotten
ReplyDeleteThank you, Brian. :)
Deletestrong powerful poem, a voice that reminds.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Oceangirl.
Deleteso terrible when things like these happen...a wonderful tribute ayala.. and good to tell and re-tell the stories from generation to generation...
ReplyDeleteThe legacy in my veins,
my voice carried by the wind.
My seeds scattered over distant lands...this is beautiful
Thank you, Claudia. So important to remember and to honor the memory.....
Deletehmm...its sad...I am sorry about being ignorant of the fact...I will try to search for what had happened and will come back...
ReplyDeleteThank you for reaching out.
DeleteAyala, Very powerful--each line rings like a drumbeat. This is almost primitive and visceral in its intensity. The Genocide is one of the things that must always be kept in the light.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Steve .
Deletebrute force words laid down with passion and pure honesty...nothing I can say can do justice the sentiment and horrific background to this poem- this hits like a hammer
ReplyDeleteThank you, Stu. So many heartbreaking stories.
DeleteI agree, no crimes against humanity should ever be forgotten by anyone not, go unpunished. I have to belive that thoise guilty in the end will be made to pay for their crimes, if not in this world, then the next, in hell.
ReplyDeleteYour family are right to [pass down the story, it is one of love triumphing over evil and needs to never be forgotten.
Thank you, Bren. It is love triumphing over evil.
DeleteThis wonderful piece of poetry is a testament to all those who lost their lives. If we who are left do not remember them, their very blood will cry from the ground. I especially love the refrain: Erase a memory, erase a generation, erase life. Bold, profound, and powerful!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Elizabeth.
DeleteReads like a mantra, powerful and redeeming ~
ReplyDeleteAnd may we never forget those times and generation ~
Lovely words ~
Thank you, Grace. If we tell the stories from one generation to another then the stories won't be forgotten.
DeleteSuch an amazing tribute love! Let the seeds scatter and forever bloom...history is not so easily erased! Awesome piece! xoxo
ReplyDeleteThank you, Poppy. Xoxo
DeleteInteresting to me that I wrote a poem on war, and I come to your blog and you write about Armenian genocide. And yes, may we never forget all the people who were senselessly killed, senselessly lost. Thank you for this poem.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary. I appreciate it.
DeleteA beautiful tribute, Ayala. May the stories never be allowed to die.
ReplyDeleteAmen !
DeleteThanks for this. It is still amazing what a heated issue in Turkey--it's a very well written poem. K.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karin.
DeleteVery moving. Erase is an awful thought. May we always remember.
ReplyDeleteErase is powerful and evil.
DeleteYes, we need to retell the stories. Powerful words, Ayala.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Belinda.
DeleteLest we forget!! We should remember the tragic history so we learn never to repeat them... I think sometimes we have trouble with that... powerful poem!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Di.
DeleteThanks for reminding us, ayala--both of the horrors that men commit, and of the survival and hope and good that lives in spite of them. This is simply and very effectively written, and very moving.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Joy. It is about hope and good in spite of evil.
DeleteI have a long-time friend who is of Armenian descent and this atrocity must be recognized. Thank you for reminding us, in this age of too much information that it's really that we don't get enough of the truth, enough of history, enough of the voices that need to be heard.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anna.
Deletethere is a density, a gravitational pull to the compassion of your writing I always feel when I stop by Ayala...your family, your husband's...have suffered and healed, healing others through your wisdom...I feel such gratitude for the privilege of learning from your lives, your history.
ReplyDeleteThank you, dear Laura. I am humbled by your kind words. xo
DeleteErase me not...my voice carried on the wind - seeds. These are powerful images. I feel so strongly that our histories and stories should be passed down...and your voice is such a strong one as you write about the lessons and blessings your family history has passed down through you. This is just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Adrienne. I feel that I must tell some of the stories and keep the memory alive.
DeleteA very touching, straight forward write. Loved the honesty of ur voice and genuine tone. I believe the passion in your message.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Henry. I appreciate your comment.
DeleteDelete the memory
ReplyDeleteDelete the past
Delete me not.
It is why I attend an AA meeting every morning at 7 AM. Do NOT wish to forget my past--nor dwell in it.
While yet a child, my older cousins told and retold to me their experiences in WWII in Pacific (Bataan) and North Africa, and as B-17 Bomber crew-Peeps. I have some stories yet on tape. You have reminded me to transcribe to DVD and to tell my grandsons the stories. THANK YOU!
"Delete me not!"
Steve, you make me smile. Don't wait tell them the memories now. :)
DeleteA fine tribute, Ayala. Thank you for taking the time to write these poems and combine them with the historical information. Beautiful
ReplyDeleteThank you, Chris.
DeleteYour poem helps ensure that their stories will not be forgotten. A beautifully written poem with an important message.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary.
DeleteThere is paradoxical beauty in honoring them
ReplyDeleteAloha from Waikiki
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Thank you, Cloudia.
DeleteAyala, you have such a way. I remember the poem about your grandfather... I am amazed at the gift of your understanding and ability to retell this. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pat.
DeleteAyala I'm so glad you included author notes. It gives me something concrete to attach your poem to.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the notes helped.
DeleteLove the piece. The repetition is beautifully done. The message underneath the poem is touching. I Truly feel for any nation of people that have to go through tragedies, but especially the man made kind, such a testament to bravery and courage in saving those children. Great post Ayala. Thanks
ReplyDeleteThank you, Fred. I apprecite your sentiment.
Deletewhat a wonderful tribute!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kamana.
DeleteYour poem is inspiring. One wants to respond to it with more and a different poem. The killing fields continue and horror, terror and destruction occurs every day in our world. Your poem points out those terrors and inspires hope for survival. One can only pray for the day these terrors cease and there is at least understanding and patience if not peace.
ReplyDeleteGay, one can only hope..and by keeping the memory alive, i hope it won't be repeated.
DeleteLest we forget..../ This is a fine tribute to your husband's family and the Armenian people. Thank you for reminding us, however painful.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jackie.
DeleteIntense and deeply moving. We must always try to tell the truth and expose man's infinite capacity for cruelty. Fine job.
ReplyDeleteThank you, James.
DeleteTruly a horrific crime against humanity...a fitting & powerful tribute, Ayala...the moon and stars would have wept indeed.... :(
ReplyDeleteThank you, Louise.
Deletethe things mankind does to itself... thank you for sharing this with us.
ReplyDeleteTrue..the things mankind does...thanks, Joanna.
DeleteOh, wow. Immensely powerful and moving. The short lines and repetition are quite effective in conveying your message, imo.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Stephen.
DeleteTelling our own stories and that of our loved ones is so important. This is a wonderful tribute and in time would be a gem of history.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Adura.
DeleteYou have a sensitive way of telling this story; this is powerful, and it is important not to forget.
ReplyDeleteTerrific Ayala-- the refrain Erase me not is so evocative and layered in meaning. This is indeed what we have done and continue to try to do to one another both on cultural and personal levels. I love hearing of your oral tradition. Many thanks for reading me..xxxj
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jen. Sad and true.
DeleteThe repetition and directness are very effective here
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sheila.
Deleteyou pay honorable tribute. the histories of the victims is the real story of humankind.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ed.
DeleteIt's a moving episode that generations would remember not just with sadness but with pride of a people. Great write, ayala!
ReplyDeleteHank
Unbelievable that the Turkish Government will still not acknowledge and apologise formally (as eg Japan did). V touching, Ayala
ReplyDeleteIt is unbelievable Luke. Once they acknowledge it the healing can take place.
DeleteAnother beautiful poem that breaks my heart a bit for the atrocities and sadness of so many, still reverberating today.
ReplyDeleteYou are a very special lady from a very special family, Ayala.
xoxo
Thank you, dear Jannie.
Deletexoxo
A wonderful memorial, Ayala!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Laurie.
DeletePowerful poem.
ReplyDeleteThank you, KB.
DeletePowerful, beautiful, moving, unforgettable.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Dave.
DeleteI'll admit I do not know that much about the Armenian genocide but I'd like to. And your "stories retold" help. Beautiful words, we have to remember those who have suffered so that the next generations know what to guard against.
ReplyDeleteIt's not told enough...and it should be so more people can be aware. I retell the stories of my family surviving the holocaust and my husband's family surviving the genocide for my children and for other children so they can learn from the past never to let it happen again.
DeleteYou have a powerful way with words, Ayala. You always make me feel fortunate to have read them.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mel. So nice of you to say. :)
DeleteIt is so important to keep these stories alive, that future generations may learn from them and grow from them so that the horrors are never repeated. Thank you for sharing this, ayala.
ReplyDeleteThank you, ds. I appreciate it.
DeleteIf memory serves me correctly, Turkey is under pressure to recognize the genocide in order to become fully integrated in the EU.
ReplyDeleteThanks for raising awareness so beautifully.
Thank you, Lady Jennie. They still won't acknowledge it :(
DeleteA lovely tribute. Thank you for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Yousei.
DeleteWhew! Powerful & emotionally stirring. Sharing the background really made it all the more incredible to read.
ReplyDeleteSo glad I read this today. And I'm always appreciative of your visits & comments as well!
r.m. @ newviewfromhere.wordpress.com
Thank you, r.m. So important to talk about crimes against humanity...I hope that keeping the memory alive will not let history repeat itself.
DeleteYou took something terrible and made something beautiful. Be proud of that.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Dana.
DeleteSo beautiful and poignant. Thank you for remembering and for helping us to remember and learn...there is so much that many of us aren't even fully aware of. I think it's wonderful that your family stories have continued to be kept well and alive.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cecilia. I appreciate it.
Delete