I stand at the edge of the world
where the clouds
and shadows meet.
The darkness draws me in
an echo resonating in my being.
The war was long
and heartless.
Innocence lost,
lives perished
rays of light
dimmed.
Names will be called
in Berlin,
Jerusalem,
Boston,
Washington D.C.
as we whisper under
our breath,
the words,
never again.
The sound of the names called
will make us shudder,
leave us empty
and somber.
Their stories are mine,
their loss is ours.
My great grandparents
were murdered
in cold blood,
their blood is still
pulsating in my veins.
The roots of my tree
have been cut down
forever changed.
I lost my religion,
but I never lost hope.
I am spirtual
but not religous
and with that
I am not forgetting them.
I will not forget
or walk
away
or be silenced.
I'll wear the yellow
star on my heart for them.
We were not connected
only
by religion
but by humanity.
I will remember,
they are engraved on the
walls of my heart.
Never again
I whisper.
Dedicated to those perished and those who survived including my dear father that was a light in my life.
yes, we are connected well beyond religeon or other monikers...we are...and that makes us connected...going to the holocaust museum rocked me...to think of the atrocities we have commited against ourselves...
ReplyDeleteGoing to the holocaust museum I think is a must..I remember how much it moved you,
DeleteNever again to forget, always to remember them ~ We are all connected by humanity ~ A lovely message here Ayala ~
ReplyDeleteWe are all connected and that is why it's outrageous that it happened..and that hate is rising once again and that there are places in the world where genocide is happening right now.
DeleteEach and everyone connected in some way or form, the things we do can haunt forever
ReplyDeleteCrimes against humanity will haunt us forever.
DeleteI sometimes try to forget my SHAME at being a human. Then I realize that my control of what others do is limited??? TO PRAYER!
ReplyDeleteYou must remember, you must tell others and knowledge is the best way to touch others and make them realize.
Deletelovely message here. the human connectivity is so powerful.
ReplyDeleteThe message here is not to forget !
Deletepretty nice blog, following :)
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteIn light of recent events in Ukraine with Jewish people being given a pamphlet telling them that they must register...I shudder...and I pray that the horrors of anti Semitism might truly, one day, come to an end.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I think anti Semitism will never go away.
DeleteBeautiful tribute, Ayala. May we never forget.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rudri.
DeleteAlmost 70 years ago, & yet fresh in our thoughts as Ukrainian Jews are under the guns again. Evil festers in all languages, but the Nazis hold the record for the most blatant of atrocities. Thanks to Hitler, history continues
ReplyDeleteto touch us all.
Sad and horrifying.
DeleteStrong, heartfelt piece. I hope that we never forget, but I'm afraid that evil thing will just take a new face, a new form, but same agenda.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda.
DeleteHugs,Ayala! Resonates in my heart...
ReplyDeleteThank you kindly.
Deleteconnected by humanity.... yes... we are... and def. never again... just read the book thief which plays during WW II - and it's just heart-wrenching what happened during that time
ReplyDeleteI need to read it ...
DeleteFor me, what's happening now is so scary. I've grown up surrounded by and caring for Holocaust survivors as my dad was in the clothing business and my uncle was Jewish. And here in the desert so many of our friends can claim, like you, to have lost loved ones. One of the things that struck me when I studied the mystical (not magical) Kabbalah was that in the Holocaust such a huge percentage of Hasidic Jews and other religious Jews were decimated. The entire experience makes me ache.You express it so well, Ayala.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Victoria. It makes me ache as well. So many lives..it's hard to comprehend.
DeleteAyala (a lovely name Hebrew name), a brilliant and moving poem about history - and now. Spiritually versus religion - yes, I hear you. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
ReplyDeleteThank you :) Important to talk about it and spread the message so we all remember.
DeleteWell said and meant. There's nothing frivolous or funny here. This is the goods and it's real!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gay.
DeleteYes. May we continue to remember, to be cognizant and proactive! Well said Ayala.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jen.
DeleteA beautiful heartfelt message. Let us never forget and I pray to 'God' that some day we will learn also...
ReplyDeleteAnna :o]
Thank you, Anna !
DeleteAyala, this was a beautiful poem. I have a few on this very same poignant subject that I have not posted as yet. I am not Jewish but I would have worn the star in protest and solidarity. That the world continually goes insane like that is a nightmarish thought for wht the future holds. Best>KB
ReplyDeleteI would love to read what you wrote. I hope you share it someday.
DeleteWhoops! After the fun aspect of this prompt, suddenly brought to seriousness by your beautiful words. Thank you; we need these reminders.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rosemary.
Deletereligion must evolve to spirituality otherwise there's no hope for mankind.....
ReplyDeletea wonderful reminder and heaartfelt words..very touching
Thank you, Sumana.
DeleteHi Ayala--one wishes that there will be a "never again." You express that wish and determination so beautifully, and it is important to reiterate. I get so angry at deniers, and also at people that somehow minimize these events by trivializing them with casual references or comparisons. Anyway, beautiful poem and thanks much. k.
ReplyDeleteThere is no way these things are trivial or casual...I agree. It makes me sad for humanity when I see the hatred continue...Thank you, Karin.
DeleteHeartbreaking but the message is so well stated.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this poem, Ayala.
You are a wonderful poet that shares her heart.
Thank you, Margie.
DeleteSo beautifully and perfectly expressed, ayala. Oh, it's so hard to comprehend the horrors that humans are capable of surviving...and it's impossible to believe people can be beyond cruel. There should be a word for it...beyond horrific, beyond hateful... But your poem reminds of the ability of the human spirit to overcome...to sustain life even in the face of death. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteKim, it's hard to believe...I agree. And it's hard to believe the human spirit. My dad was a lover of life and sometimes I wonder how he could go on to be the man he was when he suffered so much as a child.
DeleteBeautiful, Ayala and an important reminder.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Heidi.
DeleteAyala,
ReplyDeleteA poem filled with depth..We must never forget such sorrow and pain.
We must never forget....
DeleteWe must never forget that we are all connected. This poem is a beautiful memorial.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ronald.
DeleteAyala,
ReplyDeleteThe theme "Never again" is one of the most stirring commitments ever. It explains so much, both for the retrospective as well as forward looking. One needn't share the religion to keep the faith. Thanks for this reminder.
Steve K.
Thank you, Steve. Today is the actual Remembrance Holocaust Day and it is our commitment to never forget..so crimes such as these never happen again.
DeleteNever again is a mantra, equivalent to the War to End all Wars. When will we make it come true?
ReplyDeleteForgetting should not be possible.. but alas things are happening in the world today..the world seems to indulge in nationalism and xenophobia... almost forgotten is what's happening in south Sudan... it seems that we are giving to the forgetfullness of propaganda-
ReplyDeletesuch a sad time of history... it's easy to forget there were people behind the pain
ReplyDeleteNever again, we whisper, we shout.
ReplyDeleteThis made me cry, and these lines:
"Their stories are mine,
their loss is ours."
touched my heart.
xoxo
I'm sorry you lost your dad that way. I understand the difference b/t religion and spirituality, too.
ReplyDeleteLaurie, my dad survived the holocaust-thankfully. Other members of my family did not. My dad was a child and he survived, my grandparents and aunt as well. My grandfather saved other family members as well.
DeleteWhat a strong, heartfelt poem. I hope the world never forgets.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Beth.
DeleteHi Ayala,
ReplyDeleteA somber topic but necessary to keep reminding the world so we don't repeat our mistakes.
Yes, somber and necessary!
Deletebeautifully done, Ayala! lest we forget....~jackie~
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jackie.
DeleteWhat a sobering but beautiful memorial. I too say "Never again."
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ginny.
DeleteA great story how it transcends through generations, very well done - heartfelt poetry.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Abhra.
DeleteBeautifully heartfelt piece of writing, Ayala. So, sad to think of those who perished.
ReplyDeletePamela ox
Thank you, Pamela. xo
DeleteMay perpetual light shine upon him, all of them forever. Amen.
ReplyDeleteYou are aflame with his spark, dear cousin. Shalom
Thank you my dear.
DeleteNever (NEVER!) again. Amen.
ReplyDeleteAmen!
DeleteA somber episode not to be repeated! Nicely ayala!
ReplyDeleteHank
Thank you, Hank.
DeleteNever again. This is a wonderful poem. My favorite line:
ReplyDelete" I'll wear the yellow
star on my heart for them. "
Thank you for your kindness in checking in on me while I was on break from my blog. Your tender heart is so appreciated.
Thank you dear Leslie. I hope you are feeling better. xo
DeleteHeartfelt. It touched me. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from London.
Thank you so much!
Delete