Notes About The Poem

For more on this topic, google 'Tach v'Tat'

He Sits Astride a Horse

Bogdan Chmielnicki sits astride a horse
A magnificent statue in Central Kiev
To a monumental Ukrainian figure
A George Washtington-style liberator
He took it to the Poles in the 1600's

A lone Jew glances at Bogdan on his horse
Forgive him his disgust, of course, for
That Cossack and his army murdered
Nearly every Jew in Kiev -- on their way
To killing 600,000 Jews, one-third
Of the Jews then in Europe, during an
Unprecedented Reign of Terror...*

Leave Chmielnicki astride his horse
Let Ukraine celebrate Bogdan
  ~ without one ounce of remorse



_________________________________
*Chmielnicki's Reign of Terror is known
by the abbreviation 'Tach v'Tat,' which is
short form for the Hebrew calendar year
corresponding to 1648-49. The Cossacks'
genocidal campaign lasted through 1660.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2021

Poem

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Foster Avatar
July 4, 2021 at 5:39 PM
Wow... history... Prayers for all the Jews, time to go home to Israel. The king is coming! This was a powerful write my, friend. Ann
Wolf Avatar
July 5, 2021 at 7:20 PM
May our prayers be heard on High -- and answered. Thanks, Ann.
Leffanta Avatar
July 4, 2021 at 12:02 PM
Monuments are reminders of the life our ancestors lived and their values. "Joanie on her pony" (Jeanne d'Arc) is a daily reminder of how evil religions can be. Future generations may not be able to read any language, so leave the monuments be!
Wolf Avatar
July 5, 2021 at 6:24 PM
You are so right, Rico. Let history be, and preserve what was so as to point to what will be.
Eslinger Avatar
July 4, 2021 at 11:07 AM
Gershon, your pen in a magnificent tell of what Humanity would wish not to own, but must. Must and fully. Here you wield your pen for one of the most important purposes of Poetry: to Voice aloud, mark ably, loud, that which does not even wish to be whispered. A classic, master write, touching mind/body/spirit.A trulesson/Fav thank you………sally
Wolf Avatar
July 4, 2021 at 6:24 PM
Gosh! Thank you so much for the enthusiasm, the praise, and the Fav, Sally. Much appreciated, Gershon
Ball Avatar
July 4, 2021 at 7:10 AM
WoW! We remember so well the reign or terror brought by Hitler but I never heard of Chmielnicki. I say leave him there as a reminder of what he did. My history teacher said "Remember, those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it." Leave him there and walk by and spit on him once a week. Thanks for this write my friend. God Bless, JB
Wolf Avatar
July 4, 2021 at 5:49 PM
I'm with you, Judy. His statue there, as much of an affront as it is, speaks to us daily about who we are really dealing with in the highly anti-Semitic parts of Ukraine he (still) represents. Hats off to you, and a Happy Fourth of July!
Cunningham Avatar
July 4, 2021 at 12:14 AM
Statues of these evil brutes need pulling down Gershon, The list of these evil brutes from the past is endless. Tom
Wolf Avatar
July 4, 2021 at 5:43 PM
Although the impulse is to tear down these statutes, Jews have never looked to do that. Better to see the truth about the nations one has to 'adapt to.' Who they revere tells us volumes about who we are dealing with! Thanks, Tom
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