The Shoah

Family History

Imagine—
they lived on this earth but were forbidden to leave a trace

Imagine—forbidden to leave a trace

but I’m here with no choice but to tell you

how Yelena flipped pancakes while holding a book in her other
hand, because there was never enough time to read

how Sabina and Yitzhak would sing a capella,
and the neighbors were grateful for their gifts

how they worried about making ends meet with five daughters
and no money since the mill burnt down

how Basia published poems when she was 14 and she received a letter
saying: the crown of the poet belongs on your head

how the twin sisters left Kostopol for Warsaw to study
and Basia married Pesach
and Sabina married Olek
for love was burning

how Sabina escaped from Warsaw while the bombs were dropping,
and Olek was arrested by the Russians and Sabina went with him to
Siberia

how they sent Pola, Miriam and Sonia off on a train to who knew
where they would end up

how they stayed behind hoping that the worst was already past,
but it was only just beginning

and how basia and Pesach had a son called Mordechai

and how they were forced to watch as Pesach was beaten to pieces

and how Yitzhak died that night of a shattered heart

and how Mordechai was two years old when he was buried alive

and how Yelena and Basia starved in the ghetto
until they were forced
to dig their own grave in the football field

forbidden to leave a trace

And I repeat:
Yitgadal veyitkadash shemey rabah

and I ask:
make me a channel of your peace;
where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope;
where there is darkness only light;
and where there’s sadness, ever joy…