Time: 1937
tick tock
tick tock
tick tock
tick tock
tick tock
the calm before…
there are no words for “after”
just tears
and guilt
humanity will never take the next great step forward until it recognises, understands, accepts and confronts the motivation that led to the holocaust
appeasement;
such an ugly word
a looking the other way
a deliberate blindness
a shame that still haunts,
gather up,
gather up
in the arms of your pity
those who expect
no love from above
never again
never
again
againagainagainagainagainagainagainagainRWANDA
“but they’re only natives, they don’t know better, would never happen in europe”
would never happen
never happen
happen
in europe;
in bosnia
TICK TOCK, TICK TOCK, TICK TOCK, TICK TOCK, TICK TOCK,
who will stop this fucking clock
whose head upon the block
will shock (machete shock)
enough
to
stop,
one voice speaks for six million; the voice not of a sage or a poet but of an ordinary little girl
Time: 1937
Anschluss & Poland
just waiting
the voice of one child
is still
all,
will still
all,
we need to listen;
TICK TOCK, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock, tick tock…
Thanks so much for posting this.
Si
I just watched “The Reader”, and “Schindler’s List” this morning, so this was such a weird coincidence to stumble on this. You have such a gift, such a flair. You bring the reader to tears and snot bubbles.
You should be proud of this one.
Absolutely awesome! The time line of obliviousness is so stark and so real. Humans have such a talent for ignoring the worst of themselves that it borders on being animalistic. Si has written a very important message here.. but will humanity heed his words? We can only hope and pray.
Damn fine poem, Si. It’s sad lesson weren’t learned from such a terrible time.
Congratulations, Si! This certainly is one of your best, but there are quite a few poems that fall into that category!