for Birgit

Sometimes I dream I am a child again
Such innocent eyes
Soft eyes filled with laughter
My mother and my grandmother
Hold me with such love

But then the soldiers come marching
In perfect rhythm
Swastika blazing on their arms

I hear the movie projector behind me
That slow hum of terror
Teaching me the truth of who I am

Hitler’s voice replaces my mother’s
The masses of people cheering in the streets
Children waving their Nazi flags
That wonderful, horrible energy
Which is ever so pervasive

And always I am seated before the projector
This is who I am, I am told
This is my life I watch on film
I am responsible for this
It must never happen again

Then as I become older
It is decided FOR me
That I may now see the real truth
Now I am shown the concentration camps
The dead decaying bodies
Stacked in piled like garbage

You are responsible for this
Says the voice from behind the projector
It must never happen again

I want to scream NO! this is not true
I am a good person
But this is forbidden
I am forbidden to turn around

How can this have happened, I ask?
How can it be that so many did nothing?
I would not obey, I tell myself
I am good, I would not obey

I turn to the projectionist and scream
I WOULD NOT OBEY!

The soldier
Behind the projector
With the swastika blazing on his arm
Tells me to turn around and be quiet

Everyone around me stares with anger

AND
I obey