published in STANZAS AND CLAUSES FOR THE CAUSES on Brine Books Publishing. also published was my poem Neda. a slightly different version is in my and Andy N's new anti war poem book EUROPA...

 

Manchester Lass

 

She was just a Manchester lass who's fate spun thru the years and affected everybody present.                                                                                                        

Because in another world, this could have been them.                                                             

In her twenties, young, pretty and living in France.                                                               

When the Nazi's annexed Czechoslovakia she was worried and came home.                                                                                                             

Her parents had told her about the previous war.                                                               

She didn't want to be caught up in a next one.                                                                        

Back in England she kept an eye on Germany.                                                            

Events calmed down, there was no new war.                                                         

Chamberlain exclaimed, 'Peace in our time.'                                                                             

No one but Herr Hitler knew it was all lies.                                                                            

She thought long and hard, decided what to do.                                                                       

Off the Manchester lass went to be with her family.                                                                    

Little did she know it condemned her to death.                                                                           

War erupted, engulfing Europe and the world.                                                                           

A few lucky ones escaped the grip of the Nazis, like our lass did at first.                                                                                                                           

They fled, often with only the clothes on their backs.                                                             

Why did she go back?                                                                                                          

Her Jewish blood condemned her to death.                                                                                

Off to a Konzentrationslager and her fate.                                                                              

What did she think of this?                                                                                                     

Did she know the enormity of her situation?                                                                          

Did she ask why?                                                                                                                              

What were her last moments like?                                                                             

Only a silver watch, a few of her letters and photographs survive,                                                                   

valued beyond priceless on the Antiques Roadshow.                                                                                                                    

It was like yesterday.                                                                                                                 

A Manchester lass, her husband and family, ending up in a concentration camp.                                                                                        

Along with millions of Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, disabled and any others whose face didn't fit.                                                                                                                                    

Millions perished including a girl from Manchester.                                                                     

Killed for being different by the most racist insane dictator in world history.

(based upon true events. A young Manchester woman, Linda, murdered in Auschwitz)