The Victim Poem by Francis Duggan

Some one mentioned the 'Holocaust' the old Jewish man said 'no'
Such word i do not wish to hear that happened years ago
Then he slowly folded up his sleeve and numbers etched in blue
Told of the sufferings he'd known and all he had been through.

A silence fell o'er one and all across the club room floor
And in his presence 'Holocaust' not mentioned any more
We had amongst us in the flesh one who had lived through hell
But i wish that he could have spoke of sufferings he could tell.

Don't mention 'Holocaust' to me with one wave of his hand
A silence fell o'er one and all how could we understand?
The agony he had been through, the torture and the pain
We did not mention 'Holocaust' no not to him again.

My heart went to that Jewish man who sought no sympathy
He wanted to block out his past as a bad memory
Don't mention 'Holocaust' to me and little else he said
But i could picture living soul whose thoughts were with the dead.

That night i did not sleep too well i had recurring dream
I watched the hungry slowly die, i heard the tortured scream
I saw a gray haired jewish man the sorrow on his face
And i was in another time a dark and a sadder place.

I woke and when i went to sleep the dream returned to me
Of Jewish man with tragic past who sought no sympathy
I see a young man in his prime with a hunger wasted frame
With numbers branded on his hand 'they'd robbed him of his name'.

Some one mentioned the 'Holocaust' the old jewish man said 'no'
Such word i do not wish to hear that happened years ago
Then he slowly folded up his sleeve and numbers etched in blue
Told of the sufferings he'd known and all he had been through.