SUBJECT>Re: A conspiracy of piercing silence POSTER>Barbara Silberg EMAIL>barbaralynnsilberg@msn.com DATE>1111082911 IP_ADDRESS>dialup-207-218-201-25.ev1.net PASSWORD>aa.b5wqTi2o36 PREVIOUS>84904 NEXT> 84913 IMAGE> LINKNAME> LINKURL>

You say: "This poem projects a simple and
generalized insult."

To whom did I offer "a simple and
generalized insult," may I ask?

To the victims -- many of whom fought back?

To those "many brave people [who] performed self-sacrificing acts in the face of such terrorism" such as the German resistance movement, the French underground or those many individuals who risked their lives and liveyhoods to help save Jews, Catholics and homosexuals that the Nazis victimized? Maybe those who fought a war against the Nazi aggression?

Those many brave people did something, not NOTHING.

Or am I insulting those who knew and did NOTHING?

Yes, this poem is going over old ground. Unfortunately, there are those who are not familiar with the facts or who simply prefer to ignore them, instead chosing to spew antisemectic rhetoric on this board.

Too, I like to suppose that I am saying something meaningful -- even if I did use such worn ideas as chaff, hearts and souls. I am known for my chiche's. That's why I post these. To have such pointed out.

Just think of what those who knew and did nothing would feel. How would such knowledge impact their consciences, their beliefs -- tearing at their hearts and souls like pruning-hooks.

...Well, I suppose I just talked myself into some better lines. Stay tuned to this channel for a revision.

Thanks for reading and commenting. --Barbara S.

: I'm sorry Barbara,

: but, for me, this is pure surface work
: regarding a subject that is so very tangled
: and faceted. This poem projects a simple and
: generalized insult. Many brave people
: performed self-sacrificing acts in the face
: of such terrorism. Also, terrorism has
: psychological depths that cannot be ignored
: like this poem ignores them.

: Thinkers and readers might immediately ask
: themselves, gosh is the writer out fighting
: and standing up, giving her life in the face
: of terrorism, or is she simply on a soapbox?
: There's still bunches of terrorism in all
: forms out in the world. There is such
: repulsion and impatience toward passivity in
: this poem that I also must ask myself, where
: is the author's responsiblity--a blind,
: accusational, preachy finger-pointing
: doesn't cut it.

: The things you tell us that happened are
: definitely horrific, but so well-known that
: I lose interest right away, especially with
: your parenthetical explanations.

: There are some wonderful phrases in this: .
: conspiracy of piercing silence (but overused
: in title)
: . twisted in grotesque parody
: . values warped into lies

: Unfortunately, there are many overused ideas in
: this poem also: hearts, souls, chaff in the
: wind

: I applaud your concern,

: s.