War Baby
Pamela Holmes
He has not even seen you, he
Who gave you your mortality;
And you, so small, how can you guess
His courage or his loveliness?
Yet in my quiet mind I pray
He passed you on the darkling way -
His death, your birth, so much the same -
And holding you, breathed once your name.
Who gave you your mortality;
And you, so small, how can you guess
His courage or his loveliness?
Yet in my quiet mind I pray
He passed you on the darkling way -
His death, your birth, so much the same -
And holding you, breathed once your name.
Paraphrase:
Jewish babies during WWII were not able to comprehend the fact that they were born into death, because of the Nazis.
The Nazis had the Jewish people's lives in their hands and the Jewish people could only pray for the chance at survival.
Shifts:
"His death, your birth, so much the same -" This shift focuses on the importance of Jewish people and Nazis both being living people that deserve respect and a chance at life.
Title revisited:
The title suggests Jewish-born babies are born into death and cannot do anything to help it.