Dec 5, 2009

24th Virtual Poetry Circle

Welcome to the 24th Virtual Poetry Circle!  We're one Virtual Poetry Circle away from the big giveaway.  Are you ready?

On December 12 everyone who has commented on these weekly events will have an opportunity to win some poetry for yourself.  I'll pop your names in a hat and choose a winner.  All you have to do is keep commenting.  Easy right?!

OK, Here's a poem up for reactions, interaction, and--dare I say it--analysis:

Remember, this is just for fun and is not meant to be stressful.

Keep in mind what Molly Peacock's books suggested. Look at a line, a stanza, sentences, and images; describe what you like or don't like; and offer an opinion. If you missed my review of her book, check it out here.

We're back to contemporary poetry again today.  Today's poem comes from Holocaust Poetry compiled by Hilda Schiff:

If
by Edward Bond (Page 155)

If Auschwitz had been in Hampshire
There would have been Englishmen to guard it
To administer records
Marshall transports
Work the gas ovens
And keep silent
The smoke would have drifted over these green hills

It's not that all men are evil or creatures of instinct
We -- even our subjective self -- are products of history
Of political change
In history two things join
Our will and things beyond our will
We change what we are as a means of controlling these things
That is:  we create a new culture
We remain human only by changing
Each generation must create its own humanity

And the smoke will drift over these green hills
Our culture makes us barbarians
It does not allow us to live humanely
We must create a new culture
Or cease to be human


Let me know your thoughts, ideas, feelings, impressions. Let's have a great discussion...pick a line, pick an image, pick a sentence.

I've you missed the other Virtual Poetry Circles, check them out here. It's never too late to join the discussion.

8 comments:

Valerie said...

That's a powerful poem. Makes me wonder how soon after the Holocaust it was written, and who Edward Bond was. Do you think an entire book of Holocaust poetry would be depressing?

"Our culture makes us barbarians
It does not allow us to live humanely
We must create a new culture
Or cease to be human"

The last part (above) makes me think -- just what a new culture would be. Maybe one of absolute peace!

Serena said...

Valerie: I haven't finished this entire collection yet, so I can't tell you how soon after the Holocaust these poems were written, but if I find out I'll probably include it in my review.

Those last lines are very powerful and disturbing.

Jeanne said...

I can't get past this line, because syntactically it makes no sense to me:
"It's not that all men are evil of creatures of instinct"

Anna said...

I was going to highlight the same passage and say that surely gives you much to think about.

The first stanza makes me think that the Holocaust could have happened anywhere, the author thinks that what drove the Nazis could have driven anyone maybe?

I really could go on and on with this poem. Great selection!

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

Serena said...

Jeanne: That would be my bad typing fingers...the line should read:

"It's not that all men are evil or creatures of instinct"

I hope that helps.

Anna: It is scary to think that the Holocaust could have happened anywhere

Jeanne said...

Oh yes that helps! It's interesting that the poem opposes men who are evil to men who act instinctively.

Serena said...

Jeanne: I liked that aspect of the poem as well.

Alessandra said...

I don't agree that the Holocaust could have happened anywhere... yes, there have been persecutions against specific groups of people everywhere, and Jews have been persecuted in many countries, but I think the Holocaust (in its specific form, with the aim of wiping out Jews from Earth) could have happened only in Nazi Germany.

This is not to say that similar actions could not happen again somewhere else... so I agree with the final linesw of the poem:

"Our culture makes us barbarians
It does not allow us to live humanely
We must create a new culture
Or cease to be human"

A great peom for discussion, Serena. Thanks for posting it :)