Monday, May 2, 2011

Holocaust Remembrance Day

They lit torches,
names were read in
observance of those gone.
Cries are rising from the earth,
ashes scattered,
fragments of humanity.
Sixty six years since the liberation
of Auschwitz-Birkenau,
Sixty six years since other liberation's, 
the pain throbs,
of unspeakable truths.
You asked me to never forget,
those days of your life,
your childhood robbed,
your faith shattered.
Today I remember,
the lives lost,
the lives saved.
Today I remember those silent,
and those that chose to help.
I remember
you rising above the pain,
to survive,
to thrive, to live, to love.

26 comments:

  1. nice bit of remembrance...and that is something we should never forget...and be inspired in the rising...

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  2. Oh this is heartbreaking. And a lovely tribute to the past that will hopefully help us make stronger in our future.

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  3. such a perfect poem for this day...

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  4. It's a fantastic poem. I would like to believe I would have been brave enough to help. But, I wasn't there. I don't know. I'm so glad you have someone tangible to remember on this day!!

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  5. What a beautiful poem of remembrance and beautifully inspirational too. It's so important to keep the memory alive...

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  6. Thank you for sharing. I agree that we need to remember so it never happens again.

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  7. thank you

    beautifully expressed!

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  8. Thank you,Leslie. Not an easy day....

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  9. Thank you,Caroline. It took a lot of courage to help and I always like to remember those that did.

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  10. Thank you,Talon. This memory we have to remember.

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  11. Matt, it's a part of the legacy my family gave me and I try to honor it.

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  12. Of all the horrific nightmares of this world we live in this one tops them all. My heart breaks when I think of this time. It is right to give them reverence & remembrance.

    Hugs to you Ayala!

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  13. beautiful, ayala - your poem is poignant and powerful and very evocative.

    not that i'm surprised -- your writing is always exquisite.

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  14. Thank you, Alita. Hugs to you.

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  15. Thank you, Sarah.
    What a nice thing to say....

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  16. thank you ayala for this beautiful, prayerful memorial poem...may we always remember and allow the memory to push us to do the work of tikun olam for the brokenness that continues in our world.

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  17. Beautiful. May we learn our lessons from the pages of our history...and may we never forget that our capability for evil is the same as our capability for good...

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  18. Thank you,Laura. We must always remember so it never happens again!

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  19. Thank you,Belinda. True the capability of evil is the same as the capability of good..sad but true

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