Best Danube River Poems
In 1944 or so,
The Nazis did deliver
A group of Jews in Hungary
Into the Danube River.
They lined them up and shot them dead -
Not one did soldiers save -
A Jew was not considered worthy
Of a normal grave.
Before they shot them, one command
Was, "First, take off your shoes."
The shots rang out and that was all
Remaining of the Jews.
Today in Budapest, you'll see
Lined up along the shore,
A lot of beat-up shoes in bronze
To stay forevermore.
And looking at those shoes, you'll find
The past has come alive.
The Jews who wore them somehow
Beat the odds and still survive.
Memorials have power if
They don't let us forget,
And those shoes by the Danube
Left me strongly in their debt.
Lighted Chain Bridge glints, enlivens, sparkles
Holding in view magnificent Matthias Church
And hillsides of Budapest in distinctive posture
Enchanted by milieu of ambiance on visions
In cultural rejuvenation of palaces and castles
Illuminating echoes of eclectic architecture
Gracing river banks in spectacular grandeur
As you gaze beneath emerald green water
Mesmerized by panorama on Danube river;
Where brilliant images dip, shimmer, and glisten
Celebrating renaissance as musing stars beckon
Whispers of couples voicing romantic passions
Watching river-dance twirling in each bounce
Attuned to composition of gentle water sounds
Curling tiny waves where golden dust glimmers;
As we move bit closer, holding hands together
Reminiscing of love younger-- incessant charmer
Conversing with eyes, kissing happy smiles
While congruent evocations consent with pleasure
Bashful of peeking moon encroaching on lovers.
August 3, 2019
HM: Strand Special 3 contest by Brian Strand
NOTE:
A spectacular view emerges at night in Budapest with glittering palaces, buildings, and city lights that dance on Danube waters. The lighted Chain Bridge, Matthias Church, and the hillsides are among the attractions that mesmerize visitors, especially at night.
The Escape from the Turkish Slavery
(Ukrainian historic folk song)
There broke into the Tartar sprites,
And they captured my daughter, nice,
Marusyna, my daughter, dear,
I remained with one son in fear.
And there came others- my son was enslaved,
And a widow, a poor orphan, I remained.
The third time, they took me too, an old soul...
... a Turk took me to the service,
I began to toil and slave
Serving the foe every day.
The daughter didn’t recognize her nurse
Having given her the works, the worst:
With the hands- to spin the yarn, fine,
With the little feet- to lull the child,
To watch the flock- with the eyes…
They found themselves in one place
All three meeting face to face.
When the daughter was recognized by the mother
And, when also confessed the brother…
They were united with one another.
Then the daughter began to tell the Turk,
That's my brother, this is my mother,
Then, the Turk began to trust them.
He entrusted them with all his goods.
They did everything, not to delude
Thinking, dreaming of their home.
When the Turk and daughter were going to the ball,
They handed the keys from the houses, all;
The son and the mother were taking the golden keys,
The souls of the slaves from the cellars to release,
Saddling the horses to start their way
To travel back home again.
Oh they were crossing the Danube, Dunahj,
The Turks, low-natured, were on a catch-ride.
On the other bank, they shouted:
"Oh Ivan, Ivan!
You know and you know,
And take the infusion of wormwood,
And, you will know even better for good! "
Chieftain Ivan Korsun began to narrate:
"I crossed the Danube River -
Denied the enemy forever! "
(Translation from Ukrainian into English by Ivan Petryshyn)
The Escape from the Turkish Slavery
Another chapter
In our human race
4,211 murdered
In this Novi Sad place
Serb, Jewish
And Roma ethnicity
Gunned down
In massacre simplicity
In the Danube River
It's icy depths
Over four thousand souls
Dumped and left
The initiators arrested
To face their crimes
Escaped to Germany
For their freedom time
After the war
Located and arrested
Executed, dead
Whilst the massacred rested
It's just another chapter
In our human race
How many more
Until we start to loose face
In memory of the " Massacred at Novi Sad and other locations from
January 21st to the 23rd - 1942
http://www.thehighlanderspoems.com/war-2.php