Holocaust Poetry

1. What is your initial reaction to this poem?

My reaction is that the mass killing of the Jews has affected people in a different as seen in this poem through the taking away of peoples dreams.

1. How does the author use 'we' in this poem?

The author uses a group that she was in to add extra emphasis to the fact that it was a group not just individuals.

1. What are the verbs used in the first sentence?

played, laughed and loved

1. What are the verbs used in the second sentence? How do they contrast with those used in the first sentence?

ripped and thrown. This is a contrast to the first sentence is that they are happy or verbs that are associated with being happy and the second sentence verbs are very forceful and are 'sad' words

1. What effect does the listing of 'lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers'? What is it meant to signify?

This is meant to signify both important and happy jobs of the children and there dreams that have been taken by the holocaust.

1. What simile is used in the poem and what effect does it have?

dead in the night like cows in cars which adds to the poem the fact that they were treated like animals and that they were taken away like animals on a farm.

1. How has the poet represented herself in the last sentence?

She has represented herself as a child that has had its dreams taken away and that she wants this never to happen to anyone again.

1. If you could communicate to this person, a victim of the Holocaust, what would you want to say? What do you feel that you must do in your life as a response to this poem?

I would want to say that it is terrible the way that they ripped the dreams away from happy children with hopes and dreams. It is awful that they destroyed your dreams and i think everyone should try harder to fill in and make those whose dreams were taken away to feel better that yours arent to. I would tell he that this poem would make me want to try harder in everything i do and try to fulfill by dreams and hopes.