Our book club read Maus for our non-fiction selection. To respond to the text, we created a multi-voice poem. Will wrote from the perspective of Arty, the narrator of Maus, son of a survivor. Frances wrote from the perspective of the survivors. I wrote from the perspective of those who died.
We'll read our whole poem aloud during class, but for now, here is my portion. The big spaces indicate pauses where someone else is "speaking."
Survival
Maybe some aren’t meant to
survive, yet
You did.
Was I not special enough, not strong enough, not lucky enough?
Don’t forget me.
Don’t forget
Hitler’s Germany
Don’t forget
the lost children
All the daughters and the sons
Don’t feel guilty for being spared
Survive for those who died.
Pieces of me and all the others
Keep the memories of us alive
The babies, the parents, the old and young
Everyone you ever knew
And even those you never did
Help us survive
Keep our stories alive
The price is only your soul
Here's hoping that "rustic" Internet connection works, Blakely, even if for this performance alone.
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be powerful!
Good luck!