the ringing buzz of
timeless years
echoes through my aching head.
the sound pervades my deepest thoughts
and breaks my heavenly gaze.
Friday 26 March 2010
Thursday 25 March 2010
Autchwitz poem
through the streets the
children march. No laughter
tumbles from their lips. Deep-
wrought lines on broken faces;
no triumphant cry of war.
Only this last walk - this charge,
the final effort; all weakness
abandoned - thrown aside for
this one last charge.
facing the enemy eye to eye, nose
to nose they stand. Broken bodies
stand in order, each shot down
but standing tall.
Bodies rifled - no, not they. One
brave last stand has worked
up - forced - a dent, only small,
but a dent nonetheless, in the
gleaming armour of the enemy.
a dent; just a scratch of respect, for
these brother soldiers, standing tall.
Each shot down, but standing so tall.
Icthus
children march. No laughter
tumbles from their lips. Deep-
wrought lines on broken faces;
no triumphant cry of war.
Only this last walk - this charge,
the final effort; all weakness
abandoned - thrown aside for
this one last charge.
facing the enemy eye to eye, nose
to nose they stand. Broken bodies
stand in order, each shot down
but standing tall.
Bodies rifled - no, not they. One
brave last stand has worked
up - forced - a dent, only small,
but a dent nonetheless, in the
gleaming armour of the enemy.
a dent; just a scratch of respect, for
these brother soldiers, standing tall.
Each shot down, but standing so tall.
Icthus
Wednesday 24 March 2010
Trip to Autchwitz
well, back from the trip to Autchwitz yesterday...thought you'd all like an account... :)
woke up at 4:00am, and left about 4:45am to get to the airport :O quite a jolt to the senses I have to say!
when we got off the plane and onto the coach, we went to a synagogue near the camps, and a rabbi showed us the synagogue itself, and read us a verse form the scroll containing the first 5 books of the Bible using the melody Jews are taught to use to read the Torah; it sounded so haunting and beautiful.
We then went to Autchwitz 1; Monowitz, which has been converted into a museum. We had a Polish guide, who was so matter of fact; I might in a way have preferred her to use more storytelling dialogue or something, to make me feel more part of the history. But when I think about it, perhaps that would have taken away from the sense of reality.
If I'm totally honest, I felt quite a bit less affected than anyone had predicted for me, or even that I had predicted for myself. When I think about it now, I believe that's because we weren't seeing the events themselves...
One of the only bits that actually really affected me was the huge display case of human hair that they had cut from women victims. They have actually decided now to leave the hair to break down naturally, instead of continuing to preserve it, so it all looks very similar, and almost like sheep wool, but there was one blonde ringlet, and I could see in my mind a little girl with curling blonde hair, robbed of life by the Nazis.
The other thing that really got me was a display cabinet of baby clothes and shoes. They were so tiny. I suppose you can imagine that adults could at least understand a little, or be clearer about what was going on, but to think of innocent children; two or three years old even, watching their parents die in front of them, and being led to death like lambs to the slaughter almost, is disgusting.
We moved on to Autchwitz 2; Birkenau, which is simply being preserved to look around. We walked through a few rooms, and saw the last ever preserved gas chamber. There's nothing in it now, since the Nazis used it for munitions storage later on (that's why it wasn't destroyed), but we could see the holes where the poisonous gas had been dropped down into the blocked off room. It made me feel wretched and sick, and I prayed for the people to have had at least quick passings.
The most tragic thing of all for me was that these people did not all even have a peaceful afterlife in Heaven. Those who carried on hardening their hearts against God never truly experienced real peace, and that is what causes my heart to rip into pieces.
We had a memorial service last thing, when dusk was falling. The Rabbi had chosen psalm 23 to read aloud, and some people read poems or extracts of survivors accounts. Then the Rabbi read in Hebrew (with the melody) a prayer for peace for the people affected by the Holocaust.
We all recieved candles, and we put them where we thought was best. I put mine with several others around some flowers our trip had put up as a memorial, but as we walked back in the growing darkness, people began to put their candles down by the railway track that had carted dead bodies to be burned, or frightened people on their way to the gas chambers.
What I thought the most most powerful of all was that there was a closed, sealed cart that had really been used to convey prisoners to the camp, which has been preserved over the years in a different country. And people took their burning candles, and put them around on this wagon; on the wheels and the sides, and looking back, I let myself stand there for a moment and watch the glowing candles shining softly on this weapon of murder. And I thought to myself; this is how we should repond; not with riots, shouting, screaming malice, but with soft, glowing, quiet signs of our respect, and our willingness to understand that we cannot understand, but our small, insignificant way of showing that we love these broken, emaciated, shattered people.
Icthus
He will be with us forever. "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." --Revelation 21:3-4
woke up at 4:00am, and left about 4:45am to get to the airport :O quite a jolt to the senses I have to say!
when we got off the plane and onto the coach, we went to a synagogue near the camps, and a rabbi showed us the synagogue itself, and read us a verse form the scroll containing the first 5 books of the Bible using the melody Jews are taught to use to read the Torah; it sounded so haunting and beautiful.
We then went to Autchwitz 1; Monowitz, which has been converted into a museum. We had a Polish guide, who was so matter of fact; I might in a way have preferred her to use more storytelling dialogue or something, to make me feel more part of the history. But when I think about it, perhaps that would have taken away from the sense of reality.
If I'm totally honest, I felt quite a bit less affected than anyone had predicted for me, or even that I had predicted for myself. When I think about it now, I believe that's because we weren't seeing the events themselves...
One of the only bits that actually really affected me was the huge display case of human hair that they had cut from women victims. They have actually decided now to leave the hair to break down naturally, instead of continuing to preserve it, so it all looks very similar, and almost like sheep wool, but there was one blonde ringlet, and I could see in my mind a little girl with curling blonde hair, robbed of life by the Nazis.
The other thing that really got me was a display cabinet of baby clothes and shoes. They were so tiny. I suppose you can imagine that adults could at least understand a little, or be clearer about what was going on, but to think of innocent children; two or three years old even, watching their parents die in front of them, and being led to death like lambs to the slaughter almost, is disgusting.
We moved on to Autchwitz 2; Birkenau, which is simply being preserved to look around. We walked through a few rooms, and saw the last ever preserved gas chamber. There's nothing in it now, since the Nazis used it for munitions storage later on (that's why it wasn't destroyed), but we could see the holes where the poisonous gas had been dropped down into the blocked off room. It made me feel wretched and sick, and I prayed for the people to have had at least quick passings.
The most tragic thing of all for me was that these people did not all even have a peaceful afterlife in Heaven. Those who carried on hardening their hearts against God never truly experienced real peace, and that is what causes my heart to rip into pieces.
We had a memorial service last thing, when dusk was falling. The Rabbi had chosen psalm 23 to read aloud, and some people read poems or extracts of survivors accounts. Then the Rabbi read in Hebrew (with the melody) a prayer for peace for the people affected by the Holocaust.
We all recieved candles, and we put them where we thought was best. I put mine with several others around some flowers our trip had put up as a memorial, but as we walked back in the growing darkness, people began to put their candles down by the railway track that had carted dead bodies to be burned, or frightened people on their way to the gas chambers.
What I thought the most most powerful of all was that there was a closed, sealed cart that had really been used to convey prisoners to the camp, which has been preserved over the years in a different country. And people took their burning candles, and put them around on this wagon; on the wheels and the sides, and looking back, I let myself stand there for a moment and watch the glowing candles shining softly on this weapon of murder. And I thought to myself; this is how we should repond; not with riots, shouting, screaming malice, but with soft, glowing, quiet signs of our respect, and our willingness to understand that we cannot understand, but our small, insignificant way of showing that we love these broken, emaciated, shattered people.
Icthus
He will be with us forever. "And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." --Revelation 21:3-4
Monday 15 March 2010
poem
An empty thought caresses
the cloudless sky, breaking the stillness
and crossing the path to where cries
are unfelt, and memories unseen.
Purple clouds form on a grey horizon, and
blackness coats the resting earth.
Silently, silently, falling upon the darkened strip
of wilderness. Peaks of mountains pierce the
threatening sky and the heavens shed tears for the lost
soul who wanders the ground below.
Icthus
the cloudless sky, breaking the stillness
and crossing the path to where cries
are unfelt, and memories unseen.
Purple clouds form on a grey horizon, and
blackness coats the resting earth.
Silently, silently, falling upon the darkened strip
of wilderness. Peaks of mountains pierce the
threatening sky and the heavens shed tears for the lost
soul who wanders the ground below.
Icthus
Wednesday 10 March 2010
parliament
pounding fists upon the wooden bench;
furious shouts across the stampede of
argument. Eyes glitter with rage, and faces
redden with exertion. Pockets feel emptier than
this time last month; ideas for rolling coins keep
heads up and mouths open. listless eyes, glazed
from years of feeding, peer from beneath the
ludicrous pile of white straggles, and careless mouths
part to spill out the meaningless dribble of reason.
bulging stomachs pour from the tightened pinstriped
waistline as all rise for the lord of this house of lunacy.
And what is this place; this filthied den of deceit and greed?
why, the House of the Justice of the Peace, of course.
Icthus
furious shouts across the stampede of
argument. Eyes glitter with rage, and faces
redden with exertion. Pockets feel emptier than
this time last month; ideas for rolling coins keep
heads up and mouths open. listless eyes, glazed
from years of feeding, peer from beneath the
ludicrous pile of white straggles, and careless mouths
part to spill out the meaningless dribble of reason.
bulging stomachs pour from the tightened pinstriped
waistline as all rise for the lord of this house of lunacy.
And what is this place; this filthied den of deceit and greed?
why, the House of the Justice of the Peace, of course.
Icthus
Friday 5 March 2010
Spring at last!
Today I just had the overwhelming surge of joy for fresh air and a new season!
everyone is catching on with the fever; people smiling more readily, and music playing in the social area; I always forget just how lovely this time of year is:)
I feel so much more friendly with everybody, and just want to be with people and talktalktalk:D
God definately invented this season for fresh hopes and love!
the only downer is...melody contest night. tonight. help!
well, I suppose there's nothing I can really do about it, so I'll just pray like crazy that all the other players aren't desperately competitive!
However, it is the week-end, and tomorrow I'm going with Bethany and 5-year-old Danielle to see the princess and the frog... apparently it's the first Disney film with an "African American" heroine! Well, anyway, it should be good - Disney has always to be a favourite:D
Alors, bon week-end all!
Icthus
“Who will tell whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air, is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies." ----- Erich Fromm
everyone is catching on with the fever; people smiling more readily, and music playing in the social area; I always forget just how lovely this time of year is:)
I feel so much more friendly with everybody, and just want to be with people and talktalktalk:D
God definately invented this season for fresh hopes and love!
the only downer is...melody contest night. tonight. help!
well, I suppose there's nothing I can really do about it, so I'll just pray like crazy that all the other players aren't desperately competitive!
However, it is the week-end, and tomorrow I'm going with Bethany and 5-year-old Danielle to see the princess and the frog... apparently it's the first Disney film with an "African American" heroine! Well, anyway, it should be good - Disney has always to be a favourite:D
Alors, bon week-end all!
Icthus
“Who will tell whether one happy moment of love or the joy of breathing or walking on a bright morning and smelling the fresh air, is not worth all the suffering and effort which life implies." ----- Erich Fromm
Thursday 4 March 2010
creation
watching the molten sun rise
to the great trees, where the soft
breeze blows on a calm wave. Overseeing
the creation of a masterpiece in action.
breathing in the firm scents of pine,
cut grass and glowing woodsmoke.
Breathing in deeply.
to the great trees, where the soft
breeze blows on a calm wave. Overseeing
the creation of a masterpiece in action.
breathing in the firm scents of pine,
cut grass and glowing woodsmoke.
Breathing in deeply.
Monday 1 March 2010
only 37...
more A4 pages of poems to copy up...not that I calculated:P
that's not the no. of poems, though, because more than one can fit on a page usuallly... :)
well...that's all I really have to say...just thought you'd all be interested:D
Oh, and I'm teaching my first French lesson to Lizzie to day! So EXCITED:D
Icthus
x
that's not the no. of poems, though, because more than one can fit on a page usuallly... :)
well...that's all I really have to say...just thought you'd all be interested:D
Oh, and I'm teaching my first French lesson to Lizzie to day! So EXCITED:D
Icthus
x
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