Lithuania, specifically Shillel/Silale, Lithuania, home of my Jewish ancestors. A city in a country I have yet to journey to. Hopefully, I will travel there one day. I hope to one day find the answers, the much needed information for my family, those living, and those deceased.

Shillel, racing through my blood,

genetic recall, memory,

coursing through my veins, my soul.

Answers needed to questions

not yet asked.

The massacre of Jews in Shillel/Silale,

why, who, what, when, how?

Forced to dig

their own common grave

Shots, shots, shots ring out.

The forest floor, covered with blood stain,

death

bodies limp

bodies dumped in a mass grave.

Human beings, dumped like common trash,

left in a huge dirt pit,

covered to hide the atrocity.

Shillel, the Holocaust genocide,

the bodies, the Jews,

the relatives,

genetic memories surface,

my heart inflamed in pain

at times unbearable.

The concept that no

Jew

was there to leave stones,

say Kaddish,

pat the earth

with a

loving gesture.

Say goodbye…

the concept…

is unbearable.

~~~~~~

All prose and poetry composed by me. The photograph was taken by my dear friend, Erni, who traveled to Shillel specifically to take photographs for me. Thank you for such a caring Act of Loving Kindness.

Jew Wishes…Peace to all.

© Copyright 2007 – All Rights Reserved – No permission is given or allowed to reuse my photography, book reviews, writings, or my poetry in any form/format without my expresss written consent/permission.