Poetry Analysis
Dylan Campbell
Holocaust
We played, we laughed
we were loved.
We were ripped from the arms of our
parents and thrown into the fire.
We were nothing more than children.
We had a future.
We were going to be doctors, lawyers,
rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers.
We had dreams, then we had no hope.
We were taken away in the dead of night
like cattle in cars, no air to breathe smothering,
crying, starving, dying.
Separated from the world to be no more.
From the ashes, hear our plea.
This atrocity to mankind can not happen again.
Remember us, for we were the children
whose dreams and lives were stolen away.
we were loved.
We were ripped from the arms of our
parents and thrown into the fire.
We were nothing more than children.
We had a future.
We were going to be doctors, lawyers,
rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers.
We had dreams, then we had no hope.
We were taken away in the dead of night
like cattle in cars, no air to breathe smothering,
crying, starving, dying.
Separated from the world to be no more.
From the ashes, hear our plea.
This atrocity to mankind can not happen again.
Remember us, for we were the children
whose dreams and lives were stolen away.
Title
Death
Paraphrase
They had a good life.
Until they were taken away from their parents and burned.
They were just starting a their life.
They had a plan to be wealthy and have good lives.
They were crying when they were taken.
They need to be remembered for how their lives were taken away.
Connotation
Plea ---> cry, scream.
Attitude of Speaker
sadness
Shift
Shift from the first and second lines to the third and fourth lines.
Shift:
We played, we laughed, we were loved.
We were ripped from the arms of our parents and thrown into the fire.
Title Revisited
Children are happy and playing, then were taken away and burned.
Theme
Death, Burning, Sadness.