They call you ugly Jew, yet all I see
is the make-up the have placed upon you.
I am a Jew, but yet I do not share
the same physical features as you,
so does that make me something else?
All because I do not have your nose, your hair,
the hat we call a yamica placed upon my head? Are you a communist?
Or is your head turned away,
like most of your time,
not to notice what they have placed in your hands?
Why is your hands full of gold?
Is there no Jews, dying and starving,
in the streets of Israel and other places?
Why are you put on display yet you say nothing? Have you nothing to say?
Do you know you are only encouraging them
to remove even Jews who are not like you?
Do you know you are the symbol of hate for the Nazis?
Why do you not stand up and open your mouth?
Please do and speak up,
If not we may be lost forever,
and then they will burn you too.
I do not want to die, so please stand up
stand up and say some truth and explain.
Throw down your things
Stand Up to the hate
Save Us Save the Jews, now and then,
Save Us, Save the World, please
before its too la....
Ryan M. - 5/2001 - 10th Grade
Innocence lost Desperately struggling to stay afloat in a turbulent sea of unjustified hate Will you have the strength to persevere in this situation? Or will you join the millions of others murdered for no reason?
Your arm bears your identity No more names, just a number. They make you one of the crowd. Will you ever escape your fate? Will you beat the system of organized extermination Or will this photograph be all that remains of you?
Your name long forgotten The memory of you stagnant and extinct Just another victim of history Your young eyes quite possibly never to gaze upon the world again except through this picture You live forever in this photo and serve as a reminder to the death of innocence.
Jeff C. - 5/2001 - 10th grade
Boots crunch the snow that surrounds you in this nightmare
The carefree days had ended long ago,
No more hide and seek with friends,
Now it is not a game but a bitter reality.
Do you wonder why this is happening to you?
A sweet, innocent girl surrounded by everyday monsters,
One whose only crime is that someone doesn't think she is good enough
Do you wonder what will happen next?
No, you had known this day would come
long before the gun was pointed at you
In every step, every minute, every day,
You had seen many killed before,
and there will be many after
Rising to heaven in a cloud of ashes
floating from the chimney.
Jackie D. - 5/2001 - 10th grade
You had the courage to make a fight
You had the strength to carry on
You had the determination to stay strong
Yet, still you don’t know the same happiness as WE
You know you struggled to stay alive
You know your heart almost died many times
You know you deserve the life you’ve been left Yet, still you don’t
know the same happiness as WE
Your next day will be brighter than any other you’ve seen
Your next meal, better than any before
Your next breath of air, the most refreshing of your life
Yet still you don’t know the same happiness as WE
The happiness WE feel is of a care-free world
A world of freedom, equality, and opportunity
A world you haven’t imagined
At an almost sickening level,
WE take our happiness for granted
WE haven’t had the courage of you, to make a fight
WE haven’t had the strength of you, to carry on WE haven’t had the
determination of you, to stay strong
Yet WE’ve forever known a granted happiness WE haven’t had to struggle
to stay alive
WE haven’t felt our hearts almost die
Do WE deserve the life we’ve been left?
WE’ve forever known a granted happiness.
Our next day will be the same as any other
Our next meal, ordinary in every way
Our next breath, a simple reflex.
WE’ve forever known a granted happiness.
In each one of your eyes true elation can be seen, the simple joy to be
alive.
It is the greatest possession of each human being,
and true happiness is not felt until you understand the true value of your
life.
The only way to fully appreciate it is to have it threatened,
its existence dangling from a thread in front of you, as has happened
WE may have a granted life without troubles
Yet only YOU have experienced what is real happiness
As YOU look on, your eyes gleaming,
you will consume every moment of your future
to a far fuller extent than WE
WE are still trapped in the monotony of our granted happiness
But you… YOU are Freed Children
Gary M. - 5/2001 - 10th Grade