Does It Haae A Meaning?
“Does it have a meaning? ”
they ask. He answers them with gall.
“I hope it doesn’t, but it will occur again,
and you will see once more what happened then,
as surely as the leaves that fall
when browning follows greening.
Men are like trees, the Bible says,
doomed sans divine majestic lèse.”
Richard Eder reviews 'Preempting the Holocaust, ' by Lawrence L. Langer (Yale University Press) in a book review in the LA Times (November 22,1998) . He quotes Raul Hilberg who, when asked whether the Holocaust had any meaning, answered: “I hope not.”
11/22/98
poem by Gershon Hepner
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Not Just A Bad Review
We’d not have had a Tisha B’av or Holocaust
if they’d just given us a bad review,
but we’ve been killed by them, not just divorced:
that’s what we mean by “hard to be a Jew”.
The Arabs say we are the favorite folk
of which they wish to be entirely rid;
unfortunately this is not a joke:
it’s still true that it’s shver tsu sayn a yid.
Kenneth Turan, senior movie critic for the LA Times, addressing an audience at UCLA today, was asked whether he thought the role of Jews has historically been fairly represented in Hollywood movies. He replied that it was impossible to do so. “After all, ” he said, “historically Jews haven’t just got bad reviews. I wish that were all that they’ve received.”
11/27/07
poem by Gershon Hepner
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What Is...?
What is the meaning of hate?
Is it the dislike of someone different than you?
Or is it the loathing of something simple like broccoli?
What is the meaning of discrimination?
Is it the hatred of someone of a different background?
The hatred of skin color;
Or is it the bitter taste of being different from everyone else?
What is the meaning of uniqueness?
Is it the purpose of being odd and unusual?
The adaptation to your own life and style;
Or is it the stereotypical clan that society has put you?
What is the meaning of life?
Is it that time keeps moving; leaving us in the dust is leaves behind?
The endless stream of consciousness that everything has;
Or is it the meaningless and indefinable thing we give every day?
What is the meaning of death?
Is it that grim reaper knocking at your door?
The inky blackness of nothing;
Or is it something that can’t be defined only experienced when it is time?
Many questions are asked everyday without even meaning to ask them.
They are hidden within the minds of those who are too afraid to speak out;
To let THEIR voices be heard.
So I ask you these questions in hope that you will ask them yourself;
To find the meaning of it for yourself and not what others say it is.
One final question is all I leave you with.
What is the meaning of everything that you thought you knew?
poem by Regan Meade
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One summer when the wind was strong
This is the place, now we are here again
I remember that summer when the wind was strong
And everything around us was dry,
The acacia trees towered and showered us with
Round leaves falling and falling and falling
Some birds were there and they flew away
Some cars were there and they speeded away
It was getting dark and it was a dry summer
We stayed there for a while when the leaves fell
Then we went under the trees not seeking shelter
But to catch those leaves falling and falling and falling
We are trying to feel again what falling was
We are here on this summer, we see the leaves
Falling and falling again to the dry wind,
We try to recall about us, but there is simply
Nothing about us anymore, but just the same
The leaves fall and fall and fall, we see them reenacting
There is that meaning; there it is in the falling
But we have outgrown it, we look for more, we hope
We can find some more, something beyond us.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Tomorrow Morning, Early
'Will there be another holocaust? '
they asked the Rebbe of Lubavitch.
For an answer he was never lost.
“Of course there will be. Man is savage.”
“When will this happen? ” they inquired.
“Morgen in der frih, ” he said,
Tomorrow morning, early, has transpired,
and millions are already dead.
It’s happened in Rwanda and Sudan,
as in silence we looked on.
It couldn’t happen here, we say. It can,
and millions more will soon be gone.
Long agao an interviewer asked the Luvavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, if he believed the Holocaust could ever happen in America. “Morgen in der frih, ” was his reply, Yiddish words that mean: “Early tomorrow morning.”
2/17/09
poem by Gershon Hepner
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Foreclosure Of A Dream
Rise so high, yet so far to fall.
A plan of dignity and balance for all.
Political breakthrough, euphorias high.
More borrowed money, more borrowed time.
Backed in a corner, caught up in the race.
Means to an end ended in disgrace.
Perspective is lost in the spirit of the chase.
/chorus/
Foreclosure of a dream,
Those visions never seen,
Until all is lost,
Personal holocaust.
Foreclosure of a dream.
Barren land that once filled a need,
Are worthless now, dead without a deed.
Slipping away from an iron grip,
Natures scales are forced to tip,
The heartland cries, loss of all pride.
To leave aint believing, so try and be tried.
Insufficient funds, insanity and suicide.
/chorus/
Now with new hope some will be proud.
This is no hoax, no one pushed out.
Receive a reprieve and be a pioneer.
Break new ground of a new frontier.
New ideas will surely get by.
No deed, or dividend. some may ask why?
Youll find the solution, the answers in the sky.
Rise so high, yet so far to fall.
A plan of dignity and balance for all.
Political breakthrough, euphorias high.
More borrowed money, more borrowed time.
/chorus/
Holocaust
song performed by by Megadeth
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Were There Hope
I was never in a league of noble gentlemen
To whom she'd cast polite and flitting smiles,
Only distant hope and dying dreams for me!
Or perhaps descent into a game of wiles
To give a chance of sipping wine on heady nights
With her angelic presence to declare;
Above, an aura playing out hypnotic hues,
And I in awe of blonde cascades of hair.
But no! my tiring soul is sinking in a mire
To haunt me for an age and evermore, for
How could I expect to hold her silken hand
When I am but a soulless ghost of yore?
Copyright Mark R Slaughter 2009
Hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope?
Hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope?
Hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope?
Hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope?
Hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope?
Hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope?
Hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope?
Hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope?
Hope hope hope hope hope hope hope hope?
Hope hope hope hope hope hope?
Hope hope hope hope hope?
Hope, hope?
Hope?
Never
poem by Mark R Slaughter
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Without you
I write words in vain,
words of which the meaning
you do not comprehend
and how to press love
into a few words
I do not really know
and you are away
and we stay a hundred miles from each other
and it feels as if
it is in different worlds,
as if every thing with time looses meaning
and I play the songs that you sing over and over
as if I can hear something in your voice,
read your poems time and time again,
as if it can bring something of you back to me
while destiny flattens me
and you run
like water through my fingers
and without you
my life is without meaning
and it continues aimlessly
and I do not know
why things at times do not work out,
why I am fighting life’s struggle in vain
and I cannot get you
out of my heart,
and cannot fight against you being part of me
and my blood is pouring, as my heart is broken
and my life falls to pieces without you
and I hope that your plans are only prosperous.
poem by Gert Strydom
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Time, friend or foe?
Times gives life meaning and sustenance, so we're all
somewhat on common ground, so life doesn't confound.
Time doesn't stay the same, nor does the world.
Time goes slow and sometimes fast, and with hope, we shall last.
Time can be lost, and it can cost.
Time can be harnessed, and it can slip through the hand like granules of sand.
Time is a friend or foe, this I know.
Time is a second, a minute, or an hour, it may devour.
Time controls and consoles.
Time, at times, is the aggressor and the lesser, a comforter.
Time heals and steals. Time brings hope and sometimes despair.
Time can repair, and it can be unfair.
Time is eternity, together, with Christ,
the King of Kings, we shall be.
In Love with Me
I hope you fall outta love with me
I hope you forget all about me
I hope you're not hurting inside
I hope everything turns out right
And I wish you the best of luck
I hope that this all works out for you
I hope that I will too
Cuz you know I've
Fallen out of love with you
Been some hard times
Some unfair crimes
Just want to forget and go
So I want you to know
That it doesn't matter to me
Whether you go or leave
So please
Hear me
I hope you fall outta love with me
I hope you forget all about me
I hope you're not hurting inside
I hope everything turns out right
And I wish you the best of luck
I hope that this all works out for you
I hope that I will too
Cuz you know I've
Fallen out of love with you
But I've been hurt before
And you just added more
I try to be alright
Try not to start a fight
Sometimes it hurts inside
Makes me wanna cry
So in the end I guess I want you to
Fall back in love with me
Remember all about me
And keep holding on
Just keep that bond
Love me and cry
Like you were going to die
So I hope you
Fall back in love with me
poem by Courtney Beaudry
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I Looked Out at Life with Holocaust Eyes
I looked out at life with Holocaust eyes
And what better did I know that I had been
looking through the lens of guilt and affliction,
Seeing life amiss and askew through my Holocaust guilt,
This fatal flaw was burning in my eyes
and how it lay siege to my Jewish heart,
A Greek tragedy in the making all of these years,
The guilt rose from deeply sealed vaults
inside my Jewish eyes and heart,
I could not help but see life through my Holocaust eyes,
Until these Holocaust pangs smoldered and burned
its acrid smoke in my eye sockets,
I peeled away its painful gauze and ace bandages,
My eyes had once lamented over the Holocaust afflictions,
But now I could see with clarion eyes and feel anew
with my Jewish heart by virtue of Holocaust healing balm,
As it clarified the lens, fluid and muscles of my eyes,
And now this healing balm paved a shimmering path within me,
For my Jewish heart to emerge and then shine its splendor
outwards on straight and forward path of life.
poem by Alan Freshman
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Sonnet- OnThe Holy Bible
The biggest miracle God did for me
Was that I found the Bible, in my life;
The biggest gift He gave was Poetry,
With which I overcome my every strife.
The Bible is a sacred Book for all;
It tells you how to spend your life on earth;
And walk the road to Heaven without fall,
And keep your soul sin free ’fore your last breath.
The Bible clears your doubts in many fields;
And gives great solace to our minds and hearts;
By it, over His faithful, pow'r God wields,
Providing answers with a divine art.
Just read the Bible and live as per it;
A soul will soon be celestially fit.
poem by John Celes
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Hope is good thing to hope.
I hope my family get a long like they use too
I hope God finds away to bring my brother
back from drugs
I hope my father stays in my life and don't
take off life he did before when I was a baby
I hope before I am 30 years old I be marriage
and have family like my friends do
I hope my dreams I want out of life comes true
I hope me wanting to hope is not dumb
I hope is right thing to do in life
I hope I get in to college
I hope my mom finds good guy beside
jerks
I hope who I am with doesn't hurt me
or break my heart like guys did with
my mom
I hope my brother leaves this girl that
keep him away from his family
I hope Amber will always be my best friend
I hope Rusty doesn't every leave me
I hope God helps find away for us
to be together me and Rusty
I hope my family is happy
I hope my friends are happy and thankful
for what they have in life
I hope when Jennifer gets marriager it doesn't
be life her last one ended bad
I hope everyone learns how good is to hope
and pray for things you need.
I hope everyone thankful and glad to be here
in this world.
poem by Kristina Riggs
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All Times
Excuse me
I am here to say something
The meaning of my say
Be different to different persons
The meaning of my say
Is equally important to all
The meaning of my say
You are searching and searching
That is not fixed not codified
The meaning of my say
Is true to all times to come
And you are not all timers
Who can know everything
Every meaning of my word my say
Excuse me
I am to say something.
poem by Gajanan Mishra
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I Hope My Brother Learns
I hope my brother learns to stay
I hope he will find away
I hope he will stay forever
I hope until I’m 20 or better
I hope that’s what he will do
I hope he doesn’t turn dumb
I hope he doesn’t mess up his life
I hope he finds out im not right
I hope he knows who he hurts
I hope he doesn’t turn into a jerk
I hope he learns lifes not fair
I hope he knows that im there for him
poem by Jessica Lee Workman
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Post Script Letters
i hope all is well with you, with dear love letters and blood smeared, i hope all is well with you, i find myself setting these picture afire with the memories of you, oh i hope all is well with you, theirs no match that can reignite the passion of you, there is no knife that can cut the blood i spill trying so valiantly to show you me, oh i hope all is well with you, for when you wake you walk like giants, you speak as if tongues had no meaning, as if waterfalls never shared the same breath with a dam, i hope all is well with you, for when i held your hand i felt meaning in everything, i felt beyond this prison i had created for myself, it seems Ive lost you again, i hope all is well with you, i cant speak your name anymore, it gets lost in the currents of the ocean i no long dare to tread, it gets caught in the telephone wires that never made a connection to the receiver on hold, well operator i hope all is well with you, because im alone here cutting....and i cant take another minute thinking of you, i waste my days in regret of you, well i hope all is well with you, because there is no fracture that will bring me back to you...
poem by Gabe Castro
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No Prayer For The Dying
there are times when i wondered
and times when i cried
when my prayers they were answered
at times when i've lied
but if you asked me a question
would i tell you the truth
now there's something to bet on
you've got nothing to lose
when i've sat by the window
and gazed at the rain
with an ache in my heart
but never feeling the pain
if you would tell me
just what my life means
walking in a long doar
never reaching the end
god give me the answers to my life
god give me the answers to my dreams
god give me the answers to my prayers
god give me the answers to my being
song performed by by Iron Maiden
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Hope You'll Be There?
when someone hurts me deep
hope you'll be there?
when someone makes me weep
hope you'll be there?
when i feel all alone
hope you'll be there?
when no-one answers my phone
hope you'll be there?
when nobody listens to me
hope you'll be there?
when life would be silent as sea
hope you'll be there?
when i feel left behind and ignored
hope you'll be there?
when i feel like dumb and bored
hope you'll be there?
when everyone would act like stranger
hope you'll be there?
when i'll be stuck in danger
hope you'll be there?
whenever i hope you'll be............
hope you'll be there? ?
poem by Silkina Mankotia
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Why Do I Have To Remember The Holocaust?
Why do I have to remember the
Holocaust?
The reason that I have to remember the
Holocaust is because that is part of my heritage
And my father was a jew from
Baghdad
Also I am half
Jewish
poem by Aldo Kraas
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Nature's Commodities
Are you not?
Am I not?
What have we both forgot?
Nothing upon this Earth we see...
Is without meaning.
A purpose has been dropped.
We have not picked that up.
Stopping to perceive,
We are deities of royalty.
Deciding who is better.
But like leaves that fall from trees...
We are nature's commodities.
And if you delight in the bleeding of another's blight...
Your blight will come to be believed.
In a way you would not for yourself conceive.
But it comes.
What nature discards,
Will be ours to witness as its received!
Are you not?
Am I not?
What have we both forgot?
Nothing upon this Earth we see...
Is without meaning.
A purpose has been dropped.
We have not picked that up.
Stopping to perceive,
We are deities of royalty.
And those crowns can not be worn better,
Than the breath of life assisted by trees.
Without them our disgust with each other...
We would not be allowed to breathe.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Divine Epigrams: On the Baptized Ethiopian
Let it no longer be a forlorn hope
To wash an Ethiope;
He's wash'd, his gloomy skin a peaceful shade,
For his white soul is made;
And now, I doubt not, the Eternal Dove
A black-fac'd house will love.Credits and CopyrightTogether with the editors, the Department ofEnglish (University of Toronto), and the University of Toronto Press,the following individuals share copyright for the work that wentinto this edition:Screen Design (Electronic Edition): Sian Meikle (University ofToronto Library)Scanning: Sharine Leung (Centre for Computing in the Humanities)
poem by Richard Crashaw
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