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The Eclectic Pen - Kaddish


By: Marta J. (booksnob)   + 4 more  
Date Submitted: 5/5/2007
Last Updated: 5/5/2007
Genre: Literature & Fiction » Poetry
Words: 131
Rating:


  You introduced me to books
Inbued me with a love of words
My child-self lived in the lush worlds
of AA Milne and L Frank Baum
Bedtime tales segued into vivid dreams

But your shadow-self
crept into those nocturnal landscapes
and whispered of things
Not Discussed
Never Discussed
in the light of day

Pooh Corner and Oz
disappeared beneath
the shattered glass of Kristallnacht
Whimsical creatures became snarling guard dogs
Castles became crematoria
Did you know that your shadow-self
invaded my childhood
That he needed me to know
To remember
To bear witness

You died at the age of 40
Your adult-self ironically betrayed by a mundane death
Your bruised heart no longer able to contain
the horror locked inside of you

But your shadow-self remained
Your secrets revealed in slivers and shards
Whispers in my dreams
I followed you though the gates of Auschwitz
And searched the corpses
Stacked like kindling
For your murdered family

Yitgadal v'yitkadash shmey rabah






The Eclectic Pen » All Stories by Marta J. (booksnob)

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Comments 1 to 8 of 8
Jim H. (Pecos45) - 5/6/2007 11:49 AM ET
Deep and sinister, Marta! Good work.
IONE L. (zaneygraylady) - 5/7/2007 3:19 PM ET
beautiful and haunting
Joan S. (Yoni) - 5/8/2007 8:32 AM ET
Wow, of course it made me cry, considering it is about my (our)father...but also it is beautiful. Gorgeous, well-written. You go Sister!
Linda S. (Dreamin1) - 5/11/2007 6:30 PM ET
Nice job.
Marta J. (booksnob) - 5/12/2007 11:24 PM ET
For me, Harrison Johnson, using his mom's own paperback swap account, there is a certain need to know how and why you would know this only from fantasy. For me that's something almost unnatural, but inspiring to develop knowledge of. I'm glad you had the courage to look into this matter poetically in such a smart way for all to see. Thanks for this section of your life I never knew from you before. Happy Mother's Day. Love you Mom.
Sandra (mycatscanread) - - 5/13/2007 1:42 AM ET
Very sobering, very good writing.
Jesse (EddyKrueger) - 11/11/2009 6:48 AM ET
Marta, I wish you would write more. This was extremely moving.
Barbara P. (gotchagal) - , - 4/12/2010 2:04 AM ET
Marta, what an intense and haunting piece. I've read it four times now and have cried each time. You write so powerfully. I hope you've written more. I'd love to read more of your work. Please consider me a fan. Barbara Gregory-Pearlman
Comments 1 to 8 of 8