[Page 297]

[Page 298]

[Page 299]

I will sing you a tragic song -- My heart feels like a stone. Let the whole world ring With the tale of the murderers who let us die. When the Germans arrived -- No one could know How they took our lives And slaughtered us in the streets for no reason. They wrapped our hands in white rags, And our faces burned with shame. Our mothers and fathers wore these So that the killers would recognize them. The killers spent days thinking About how to deal with the Jews. They made “ghettos” for us So we would starve to death. They imprisoned men in camps, Tormented them with hunger, Torture and blows, Until dark death arrived.

[Page 300]

They did even more to us, Ordered us to leave our homes, And took us to Miączyn. Woe is us! Terrible things happened to us there! They separated us from our parents, And we saw it all. As we watched, almost half of us were killed. We were silent, gnashing our teeth. A dreadful train soon came. “Why did this happen to us?” They loaded mothers and children, And the train started to move. Oy, woe is my life! I remained, forlorn, like a stone. I couldn't believe That I would never see Mama again. Now we are alone, desolate, No Papa, no Mama, no home; We were forced into hard labor, Exhausted until we couldn't move. A star fell from heaven And stained the earth… Gone is the crown of Jewish daughters, Our beautiful ornament. And after the hard labor – what? The murderers ordered us to be shot.

[Page 301]

Their bandits obeyed And shed that young blood. God! It's time you accepted our tears. Our hardship and our suffering! No one else wants to hear us out. “When, when will salvation come?” I wept a river of tears And God helped me in my need: Bodniewski, the Gentile, took me in And saved me from a terrible death.

Translator's Footnote

1. Pages 299-305 are tributes written in verse about the catastrophe and its victims. The translation is literal and I have not reproduced the rhymes. Return

[Page 302]

Oy, wake up, my pious Mama, And pay close attention. See the oceans red with Jewish blood Quick, pray for your only child. The world is so beautiful, And I can't enjoy it. I lie concealed, all alone, Woe is me. Take my tears And run to beg God Not to lose my suffering, To accept my plea. Wake up, my little brothers, Enough of your silence. Make great noise, So that our blood will not rest. It's time to take up arms And rush to battle! Erase all of Germany; I want to live to see revenge.

[Page 303]

When the Germans arrived They immediately killed us. I had to go to Russia And, so young, leave Mama. I thought it was a joke, Abandoned my sweet home, Not knowing the years would pass And I would not be able to see Mama. I received sad letters Reporting that they were being tortured; She was lying hidden in the house with the children, And her life was so hard. When there was peace in the world And I lived at home, Time went by like a dream, But I cannot forget. I also remember my little town, My hometown -- so beautiful! I long for my Mama. How can I witness it all?

[Page 304]

And I stand by the water, The border, the River Bug. Let me go home to Horodlo. Let this be enough! The war made everything so bad. Our sun has set. I'm searching so hard for bygone times, But I can never find them.

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