Found Poem by LAYLA ABDOUN https://padlet.com/abd07195/gc1xt3c1uf9g Victim en-us 2018-04-30 22:23:34 UTC 2018-05-01 00:20:01 UTC hello@padlet.com Rationale abd07195 https://padlet.com/abd07195/gc1xt3c1uf9g/wish/256722997
  • My poem revolves around the theme of what it was like to be victim to the largest genocide in the history of mankind. I was inspired by the stories told by the survivors in The Last Days and Vladek's story in the graphic novel Maus. My found poem sheds light on the lives of those impacted by the inhumane actions lead by Adolf Hitler that took place in Europe during the Holocaust. Sharing the stories of those that were lucky enough to survive, and giving a voice to the millions of men, women and children that were not as fortunate acts as a constant reminder to us of the attempted massacre of an entire race. Hitler’s goal was to ultimately exterminate the population of Jews in the world. Hitler made sure that they were not seen or treated as human beings, they were nothing in the eyes of the Nazis. They were pulled from their homes and put to work until the day of their death. My poem reflects their experiences, telling their story again and again to remember those who were taken so viciously from us. In hopes that it will ensure that we will never forget or have to experience again the heartbreaking genocide that took place 75 years ago. 
    • ]]>     2018-04-30 23:25:19 UTC https://padlet.com/abd07195/gc1xt3c1uf9g/wish/256722997     Rational abd07195 https://padlet.com/abd07195/gc1xt3c1uf9g/wish/256723430 I begin my poem with “Kill the Jews”, I chose to start my poem off with this line to get the reader in the mindset of what Hitler brainwash his people to believe, to remind the reader of what this genocide was all about. I chose to repeat it through the rest of the piece to give the effect of repetition through my poem and to keep reminding the reader of what the Nazis were constantly thinking. My poem is broken down into stanzas based on the events that took place in the lives of the victims. Starting off with a stanza explaining  the mindset of the Nazis and their intent to wipe out the Jewish population. The second stanza is explaining Hitler taking power over Germany and invading Poland, stripping Jews of their rights and leaving them refugees in their own country. The third stanza is about the lives of the Jews during Nazi rule, they were prisoners and had no rights. They were taken into concentration camps, living in misery. I use words like “dungeon” and “trapped” that i found in Maus and The Last Days to express what being in a concentration camp was like for those victims. The fourth stanza is more so about the effect of these camps on the people, mentally and physically. Starvation and lack of care by the Nazis lead these people to depression, starvation and death. I use the word “walking skeleton” as imagery for the reader so they can see and feel what these victims were experiencing. Weaved between these stanzas I include “Kill the Jews” many times to act as a constant theme through the poem. Stanza five is all about liberation day and finally being liberated from Nazi rule. But even after the Holocaust was over, it was not really over for those who survived. The trauma that followed and the years of wondering what could have been lead to further suffering for these victims. The sixth stanza talks about the mental suffering following the events of the holocaust I used quotes from the victims like “Why did god spare me?” and “Why me and not the millions of other men?”. Using rhetorical questions leaves the reader wondering as the victims had for many many years. The last stanza talks about how being liberated from the Nazis wasn't the end for the Jews and, people suffered for so many years even after the holocaust ended. Ending my poem with “Kill the Jews, never again” reinforces one of the messages I was trying to deliver in my poem which was, never forget the events that took place. And that the mass murder of millions of innocent people will go as an example to show people what one man's hatred can turn into, never again will something this immoral happen in the world. 


    ]]>     2018-04-30 23:28:34 UTC https://padlet.com/abd07195/gc1xt3c1uf9g/wish/256723430     A Survivors Story abd07195 https://padlet.com/abd07195/gc1xt3c1uf9g/wish/256730293 Kill the Jews 
    Hitler rules over Germany
    Invasion 
    Kill the Jews
    Hatred was so blind 
    War against jews

    Kill the Jews 
    Strip them of their rights 
    Poland in ruins
    Refugees running 

    Kill the jews 
    Yellow star on my shoulder 
    We arrived into dachau 
    Dungeon 
    Trapped
    Irrationality 
    Terribly painful 

    Kill the jews
    Ceased to exist
    Depressed 
    Worried in a madman's hell 
    Walking skeleton 
    Most monstrous thing mankind has ever devised 
    Kill the jews

    Liberation day
    Why did god spare me? 
    Why me and not the million other men? 
    Seen things 
    Jews killed 
    Walking skeletons 

    People are not born with hatred, they acquire it
    For us, liberation was not the last day for us 
    Kill the jews, never again. 


    ]]>     2018-05-01 00:14:34 UTC https://padlet.com/abd07195/gc1xt3c1uf9g/wish/256730293