Death Camp - (Haiku)

moving Haiku
Years ago I took care of a man , a patient and he was one mean man. He suffered dementia. While caring for him I noticed numbers tattoed on his arm. SO I check out his history and sure enough he was a survivor
I always treated hiom extra special after learning that because I figured he had aenough hell in his life !!

Daniel - While living in Germany I visited Dachau in Bavaria, near Munchen (spelled Munich here in the states.) It was dreadful. All of the ditches that were once there are cemented over and walking upon them you can actually feel "them" there. It is an eerie feeling and yet you think of them and pray and they become a little more silent. Walking into the gas chambers and looking at the ovens was another gruesome sight. They have the old bunkers or buildings made to look like the old bunkers and as you walk through they have huge poster like photographs of what living there actually looked like. Encased behind huge glass windows are piles upon piles of shoes of the missing and unforgotton. In another eyeglasses and dentures. And in yet another precious little thing that once belonged to these People that mean nothing to anyone other than to those who once passed through and never had the opportunity to leave.

Thanks for the Haiku.

Thanks for sharing this moving Haiku with us. I suppose the fear is as the victims continue to die, will the world still remember and speak for them.

VIVIAN> The horrifing thing about the Jewish Holocaust in WW II is that it's been repeated over and over again by so-called "human beings" in positions of unbelievable power. The former Yugoslavia, the Sudan and so many other nations acting upon the political agenda of purifying their country (ethnic cleansing). The seeds of this evil mind-set is all around us, though perhaps in subtle form. Sorry for sounding paranoid, but this subject touches so many sensitive areas in my mind.

ESTHER> More people should go to the old death camps of the past and not-so-distant past. You are so fortunate to have walked where the victims walked and died!

One comforting thought about this subject: Hitler didn't survive until today....some of those he tried to destroy outlived him and have left a legacy for their families and a history for all from which to learn. He didn't win in the end.....10

DAVID> Let's hope so. At least WE can! Cheers!

SHIRLEY> Amen to that!! Cheers!

I am so aware of this it has even happened in this country, maybe not by people of any real power but it has happened.

Chilling and powerful haiku!

Good Haiku of something we all need to remember in order to prevent it ever happening again.

This Haiku was so "Spot On". I wondered as a child many years ago, where was everyone who could have intervened? How could such horror go unchecked, so many human beings. It rips your heart out.

You are so right about "The seeds". IT is shameful that we have such activities occurring now David, and it is our job I feel, as you have demonstrated with this Haiku, that we must keep the facts ever present, past, present, and God forbid, the future we cannot see. I commend you for thinking of them, how they suffered. I still remain, about the Holocaust, ashamed, tho very little, and appalled at what goes on now. Lots of prayers for ??? To step up. Stop the madness, and save the children, AND THEIR PARENTS> Ellen B

My mother-in-law, Rose, is one of those living witnesses.
The haiku will be featured in "Poet's Weekly Muse."

What a powerful poem. Brilliantly done.

Very powerful.... and I'm glad that you made the point that needless losses continue in other parts of the world.

They say never again... but so far.... empty words

Thanks for all the responses even though it's such a sad issue.

It's interesting, Janet about your mother-in-law. Thanks for featuring it.

Daniel Thank you for sharing this poem.
Powerful

Very moving haiku.

Powerful haiku. It enrages me that there are those now who would try to insist it did not happen. And because we know it did happen, why is genocide still occurring. Maybe not gas ovens, but ethnic cleansing still exists. The last 10 years in particular have taught me we may be citizens of a free nation, but we can not individually make our government stop mass bloodshed, and it has been a painful awakening to the truth. When people are hungry, when they are being murdered are the times I would send troops in to stop violence. I don't think we are any good at that at all, and it shames me.

Brilliant haiku Daniel. Very powerfully worded.

JUDI> I love your optimism! But no matter how many of us want TRUE peace, there is always the psychotic factor. Since humans first walked this green earth, the blood-soaked ground cries out to us that there isn't good in all men. I know this sounds pessimistic, but it's engraved in stone.

LYNN> We usually only send troops when vested interests are at stake $$$$$$$$$$$
But I always try to remember the good we have done with our troops. It's hard, but I really try hard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Again, thanks to the rest of you for dropping by! Cheers!

Very moving David.
I am sure their numbers are dwindling. Most of the victims and witnesses surviving must be elderly.
I agree with you that there will always be a death squad somewhere.as power often corrupts. Look at our beautiful democracy, the corruption of power over people is staggering. I do hope and I do try to see kindness in people . There are good days and there are crappy days for me.


Beautifully haunting and creative Haiku. My thanks.

Daniel! Daniel,Daniel,Daniel,Daniel...

Please forgive my stupid typo!

Shame on me and the horse I rode in on!

that was so powerful.

PEPSIE> I hope this is one of your good days. Cheers!

DELAUNE> Thank you. Good luck on you book tour! Cheers!

Thank you for posting to in honor of!
We appreciate you choosing our group to post to!

You're very welcome! Cheers!

Reality, what a concept. Excellent write Daniel! The succinct nature of your words and the meaning inferred are overwhelming. We must recognize our faults or our future is destined to repeat itself. One of the best and most intense Haiku's I've ever read.

Cheers !

A moving Haiku Daniel ~ I too met one survivor, and as I think I mentioned to you, I wish I had taped her story in hindsight. She had numbers tatooed on her arm, and her story was so POWERFUL! She is an AWESOME Artist.

You did a good job on this piece Daniel.

Blessings ~
René

WADE> Too bad it has to be a part of history and reality. Glad you appreciate it though, Wade, my man! Cheers!

RENE> Yes. And there have been many powerful stories born of this horror. Glad it moved you, Rene. Cheers!

beautiful haiku! congrats on your honorable mention :)

Very powerful Haiku that says so much in so few words. Congrats on your honourable mention.

Congratulations on winning honour that's worthy and true !!!

Hi Daniel, I've always been curious about the word Haiku and what they really are, so I finally came and read yours. I'm seriously happy that I did. I'm a moderator on a website, that is owned and operated by Israelis, whom I support with all my heart and soul.

I want to say thanks for writing this "memorial" and "tribute" to our fallen friends, who were so brutally murdered and treated. I'd also like to say thank you for the comments above, that are so thoughtful and true. Tomorrow is Memorial Day and I not only remember the vets that went before me, but the vets of today, whether this war is popular or not. The Islamic radicals are as bad as, if not worse than, the people of Hitler's time, if you look into their agendas and their history of compliance with Hitler during WW2. There was even an Islamic Army that fought and wore Nazi uniforms, believe it or not. Lots of evidence and photos.

Our fears and disgust of genocide is not over... and in my opinion is only beginning again. After having conversed with a Palistinian youth, I'm convinced that Hitler's beliefs are still alive and well. I'm hoping that people awake to this soon.

Thanks again, for something that got me to thinking, today.

SUSAN> ALISON> MANONMANO> (THE OTHER) DALE C.>

Thank you so much for your kind words! Cheers!

Daniel:

Your content is profoundly moving. Congratualtions on having placed in Poetry Please. Welcome, too!!!

Thank you BARBRA! Cheers!

Such a very sad time in human history--and yes, a dying breed. How horrid that some want to say the Holocaust never happened.

Genocide is the most heinous expression of ethnic hatred.

It's beyond comprehension that humans are capable of such abject hatred toward each other. The singular human race of which we are all members, dividing itself into sub-races, then hating the attributes of each race. Pure and utter madness!