Michael Burch Poet Free verse

Speechless At Auschwitz

Speechless at Auschwitz
by Ko Un
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

At Auschwitz
piles of glasses
mountains of shoes ...
returning, we stared out different windows.

Ko Un speaks for all of us, by not knowing what to say about the evidence of the Holocaust, and man's inhumanity to man. 

Ko Un was speechless at Auschwitz.
Someday, when it’s too late,
will we be speechless at Gaza?
—Michael R. Burch

Keywords/Tags: Holocaust, Auschwitz, antisemitism, inhumanity, brutality, terror, mass murder, genocide, infanticide, matricide, ethnic cleansing, Gaza, racism, Zionism

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Aqua Marine December 6, 2019 at 1:38 AM Sometimes we also "look out of different windows" when we read of atrocities-instead of being inspired and motivated to never get involved in war if any kind, ever again. It was war photos and war poems and news films of the atom bomb, and seeing man oppressing man, as a child, that made me realize the horrors of war. And the horrifying fact is that humans will see these memorials to unimaginable atrocities, and continue to glorify war. I am so touched by your post, Michael. Thank you. ~~AquaM~~ Michael Burch December 6, 2019 at 2:08 AM I'm a peace activist and the author of a peace plan, so I'm on your side.