Holocaust Poetry and Art

Meidema Sanchez and a classmate were inspired to react to anti-Semitic vandalism in the 8th grade class of teacher Marcella Previdi.

Queen's Tribune, June 9, 2005: While eighth grade students at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament School in Bayside were recently studying “The Diary of Anne Franke” for class, the thought that anti-Semitic crimes are still being committed bothered them so much that they decided to express their feelings through art. Meidema Sanchez expressed her thoughts through a poem she wrote and a classmate drew a picture depicting the problems that Jewish people still face. After hearing about the Electchester anti-Semitism that was drawn on cars two weeks ago, both girls wanted to show support in the best way they could. “I was so angry that people didn’t learn their lesson,” Sanchez said. The book “really captured me” and propelled her to use her drawing talents, her classmate added. Their teacher, Marcella Previdi, said the works of art were not an assignment for class, rather a reaction to what they heard on the news that someone had drawn racist graffiti on nearly 20 car hoods late last month. “Every year, eighth grade students read The Diary of Anne Franke, and the kids really got into it and these girls were quite incensed by it. They were just so into the discussions and the next day, they showed me and I was so impressed,” said Previdi.



"Not making a choice is making a choice"
by a student of Marcella Previdi





The Power of Choices
by Meidema Sanchez

Cowards!
That is what they were!
They knew it wasn't right
But they didn't try to fight
Against the evil of those terrible people
Hitler and his clones.

While those cowards were silent and hiding
The Jews were hopelessly crying,
Knowing that they had nothing to look
forward to but dying.

Those cowards closed their eyes
Covered their ears
Perhaps harsh consequence being their fear?
Yet they knew that they were wrong and did
nothing about it.

It is too late now
So take a bow
For being nothing more than a bystander,
A worthless coward.

Do we want to relive this horror today? No!
So please take a stand
Scream out loud!
Make the entire world proud!
For hatred against any race
Should be stopped right away!
Not shoved aside for another time and day!

By not making a choice, you are making a choice
To ignore
To turn your backs
So stop denying the truth
For this evil exists
There is proof!

We are all in this fight together.
It is the struggle throughout the world.
So stick up for your brothers and sisters
Make your voice heard!



Published with the permission of:
Michael Rehak
Queens Tribune
www.queenstribune.com