Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Death in an Amish Schoolhouse




DEATH IN AN AMISH SCHOOLHOUSE

A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR
RECENTLY RELEASED FROM CAMP
CAME ACROSS A THRONG
WAILING DOWN THE ROAD

HE INQUIRED
WHAT HAPPENED
WHAT CAUSED SUCH SORROW

HE WAS TOLD THAT A MAN HAD DIED

AND HE
WHO HAD WITNESSED
THOUSAND OF DEATHS
COULD NOT COMPREHEND
AND STARTED TO LAUGH

SO MUCH TURMOIL OVER ONE DEATH
WHERE WAS THE OUTCRY
WHEN SO MANY DIED

THE AMISH
WHO FOLLOW A BIBLICAL DICTUM
OF BEING IN THE WORLD
BUT NOT OF IT

SAY IN THEIR GENTLENESS
WE FORGIVE THE MURDERER
AS WELL WE SHOULD
AS WELL WE MUST
FORGIVE BUT NOT FORGET

WHAT HAS BROUGHT US TO THIS TERRIBLE PLACE
WHERE INNOCENT LAMBS ARE LED TO SLAUGHTER
HAVE WE GROWN IMMUNE TO DEATH
HAS THE ENEMY FINALLY WON

WE KILL CHRISTIANS
JEWS
MUSLIMS
HINDUS
BUDDHISTS
GAYS
OTHER RACES
OFTEN IN A NAME OF A GOD

BUT THE CHILDREN
SAFELY IN THEIR FATHER'S BOSOM
ACCEPTED AS THEY ARE
AS THEY NEVER WERE
SAY
MOURN OUR DEATH
AND BE NOT PART OF THE KILLING MACHINE
THAT HAS CAUSED SO MUCH PAIN
AND INSPIRED SO MANY KILLERS

MOURN OUR DEATH
AND FORGIVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
AS YOU YOURSELFWOULD WANT TO BE FORGIVEN

AND BY SO DOING
THROW YOURSELF
INTO THE SPOKES OF THE MACHINE
AND STOP IT

FRANK A VOLLMER

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