Ecphrastic Poems

These are some of the ecphrastic poems this class in response to the photograph of the little Polish boy. I have read them, listened to you read them, then read them again and I am in awe of how amazing this writing was. You guys did an incredible job. Thank you.

"To the World Who Turned Its Back" by Kassie
I walk away with this child at my side.
You walk away with violence at your back.
I walk away with all my personal belonging in this small bag.
You go home at night with all your luxuries at hand.
I sleep in a small room with two other families on the cold floor.
You crawl into your lush pajamas, and into your warm bed.
You may have a limited supply of food due to rations,
But we are so limited we don't have enough to eat every day.
I now walk away at gun-point,
and you walk away blind-minded.
If you had to live one day in any of our shoes,
then maybe you would have taken a stand for humanity.
One day in our shoes and you could really see what happened when your back was turned.

"No Mercy- to the Nazi Soldier" by Nick
Nazi soldier, how do you live with yourself?
Do the screams of those you have slain not haunt you?
Now you point your gun at a little boy
The poor little Polish boy never stood a chance.
How do you live with yourself?
Do the screams of the innocent not haunt you, soulless, heartless soldier?
One day you will receive their same fate.
Once your day comes I will laugh at your downfall.
I will laugh at your misery.
You ask me to show mercy.
I will not.
You never showed anyone else mercy.
As the darkness surrounds, you will say, "Help me please"
I will laugh at your misfortune.
You will never receive my mercy.
I will watch as your soul burns in the fiery pits of the underworld.
I will watch as you receive the punishment you deserve.

"Watching" by Adam
Everything happens for a reason.
There is no chance, only truth.
Herded together, trapped, demoralized, headed for death.
Yet they stay loyal. They are chosen.
They pray, yet I do not answer their prayers.
Everything happens for a reason, and nothing by chance.
Arms stretched toward me, yet this time it is not in worship, but fear.
Fear that a mother may be stripped of her child.
Fear that their belongings may be torn away.
Fear that their very life may be taken away and put into another human being's hand.
He, being the same as you, in every aspect besides the way in which he worships me.
But everything happens for a reason.
So I let it continue, watching quietly from the clouds.
A million unanswered prayers in a box beside me.
Prayers full of suffering and pain.
But everything happens for a reason...
Right?

"The Little Boy" by Kate
Fear:
You start by taking Grandma
Next you take my sister
Now my whole family is gone
I am alone.
Hunger:
From dawn to dusk I work in the dusty streets
Your yells mingle with the voice of sleep
Calling to me and pulling me under
Spoiled bread crust now tastes like heaven
I got caught stealing my friend's portion
All I can think about is food.
Power:
Now you point a gun at me
I have done nothing
My home, my family, my dignity, and my dreams gone.
And how you ask of me the one thing I have left
My life.

"To the Little Polish Boy with His hands Held Up" by Corey
To the little boy with his hands held up
I am sorry for the pain you had to bear.
I am sorry that my fathers before me did not
hear your cries of help when you so desperately needed it.
I am sorry that you were stripped of your youth
and never had a chance to reclaim it.
I am sorry for the hole you were subject to by the cruel world
you were raised in.
I am sorry that you were held accountable for decisions that were not yours to make.
I am sorry that you were categorized as a person not deserving of life.
I am sorry for the inevitable fate you had to face.

"Little Boy, Don't Cry" by Elizabeth
-Look at him, scared to death
Little boy, don't cry
-We're about the same, could I be next?
Please little boy, don't cry
-How could they do such horrid things?
Little boy, don't you let them see tears
-We'll be ok, maybe not now but soon
Little boy, keep that head up
-They'll put their guns down, they won't kill us kids
Come on little boy, don't cry

"Final Words" by Trevor
Don't take me before you think
Think of my parents, brother, and friends.
Think if someone did this to your own family.
Think of my future
I know killing's your job, but does that make it right?
Think of my blood on your hands
Think of my tears when you sleep at night.
Think of my final words before you sent me to the gas chambers.
Is saving your own life so important, that you will kill thousands of others?
Think of explaining to your kids what their daddy did at work today
Think of holding your baby with the same mouth that shouted death orders.
If you still want to kill me, then that's fine.
All I wanted you to do is think.

"Look at Me, Mr. Soldier" by Hannah
Look at me, Mr. Soldier
With your calm shiny face with your little mustache
Who am I? Do you know me?
Am I what you are fighting deep inside?
Look at me, Mr. Soldier
What do you see?
The little boy with the deep fear in the pit of my soul
OR the man I could become?
Do you see my mother desperately trying to save me
Or the father of my own children I could become?
Look at me, Mr. Soldier
With your laxed trigger finger dolting my fate
Standing there so strong, so powerful, so calm.
As I stand here with the blood pumping through
My tiny body for maybe just a second longer
Look at me, Mr. Soldier.

"To the Heartless" by Sarah
What makes you a man?
Holding a gun to a child's head
Terrorizing those defenseless
Who makes you a man?
The women who cower in fear
As you traipse through the streets
As if you have power over their lives
You wear a symbol on your arm,
Follow your orders as well we any trained dog.
Does this make you a man?
No.
This makes you
a coward.
This makes you as defeated as those
starving, tortured souls you claim
authority over.
This makes you a monster.
Continue to kill, continue to make those people bleed
On the outside.
As you will surely die, and bleed, soul-less on the inside.

"Instrument of Death" by Sierra White
Sadism consumes the core of my heart
Malevolence dictates my being;
Indulgent upon bloodlust and power
I stare at the vermin, seething.

Pathetic! So weak, so pitiful and questioning;
What did they do to me?
Asking why, "Why so heartless, sir?"
I chuckle silently through this nonchalant facade
"Sonny, what you did was breathe."

I am not sorry,
I do not hate it,
For I am a monster
And I embrace it.

This is a gore-flecked realm
in which the reaper thrives,
And in thrall to shadows
I became the destroyer of lives.

"To the Photographer" by Paulina
Keep standing behind your camera
Watching as they march to their death
But does it matter if they live or die
Because they are just rats and vermin
You capture the moment to show your glory
But I can only see your malice
You captured this moment to show your pride.
But I can only see your hate
Keep clicking your camera
As they keep walking to their death
But does it matter if they live or die
Because they are only human
They are only women and girls
Boys and men
What does it matter
You capture this moment to show your dominance
But I can only see that their memory lives on
You capture this moment to show your triumph
But I can only see your failure
You planned to wipe them out
But you failed
Because I will remember them
So they won't be forgotten
So in a way
A very small way
I'm glad you captured this moment
So I can remember your malice, hate, and your failure
I'm glad you took the picture so l can remember this little boy
His family
His friends
His innocence and youth
Keep clicking behind your camera
Watching them as they walk to their death
But what does it matter if they live or die
Because I will remember whether they lived or died.