Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained | ||||||||
"Protocols (Birkenau, Odessa; The Children Speak Alternately)" is a poem by Randall Jarrell, first published in his 1955 collection "The Woman at the Washington Zoo." The poem reflects on the experiences of children during the Holocaust, specifically in concentration camps and ghettos. Explanation: The poem describes the daily routines of the children in these places, as they sing and tell stories while waiting for the next atrocity to occur. The children's voices, alternating throughout the poem, serve as a haunting reminder of the innocence and humanity that was lost during this horrific period of history. Poetic Elements:
Conclusion: Through "Protocols (Birkenau, Odessa; The Children Speak Alternately)," Jarrell provides a poignant and powerful portrayal of the atrocities of the Holocaust, particularly through the eyes and voices of the innocent children who suffered and died. The poem serves as a reminder of the importance of bearing witness to such atrocities, and of never forgetting the horrors of the past in the hope of preventing them from happening again in the future. Poem Snippet:
"The guard punched holes in the darkness, which stirred and whined; Something was soon going to happen; and the children in files Sang or told stories, but each story, each song was the same In the nightmare that waited, that might be Birkenau or Odessa."
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