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When all of the topics had been completed and several
drafts of both pattern and original poems had been written,
the final assignment for the unit was to write one more
poem on any image of their choosing. Some students chose
to write another poem on one of the topics that we had
covered which was interesting because they expressed their
desire to complete the thoughts that had been awakened
about that particular image, and went to work with a lot of
energy. Others chose to use the visual images that covered
the walls in the classroom: images of shoes, a cattle car, a
suitcase, the Ringleblum milk can, and many others. Again I
was amazed at the depth at which the students were
writing. One student reflected on the guilt of all who stood
by and/or helped to carry out the work of the Nazis by
personifying the train that carried Jews to the death camps.
Reflections on Guilt
I carried the Jews to unknown places
Where fear lay and ashes blew
I pulled cars made for cattle
Instead there were humans
Bewildered and afraid
Arbeit macht frei was written on the gate
Where one man stood deciding
So many others’ fate
There were huge piles of gold and shoes
Taken away from those they called Jews
Is this cruelty all my fault?
Where did all the people go?
Would it have happened anyway?
Will I ever really know?
I carried the Jews to unknown places
Where fear lay and ashes blew
But I never brought any Jews back.