DEATH IN AN AMISH SCHOOLHOUSE (BONHOEFFER)

A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR

RECENTLY RELEASED FROM CAMP

CAME ACROSS A THRONG

WAILING DOWN THE ROAD

HE INQUIRED

WHAT HAPPENED

WHAT CAUSED SUCH SORROW

HE WAS TOLD THAT A MAN HAD DIED

AND HE

WHO HAD WITNESSED

THOUSAND OF DEATHS

COULD NOT COMPREHEND

AND STARTED TO LAUGH

SO MUCH TURMOIL OVER ONE DEATH

WHERE WAS THE OUTCRY

WHEN SO MANY DIED

THE AMISH

WHO FOLLOW A BIBLICAL DICTUM

OF BEING IN THE WORLD

BUT NOT OF IT

SAY IN THEIR GENTLENESS

WE FORGIVE THE MURDERER

AS WELL WE SHOULD

AS WELL WE MUST

FORGIVE BUT NOT FORGET

WHAT HAS BROUGHT US TO THIS TERRIBLE PLACE

WHERE INNOCENT LAMBS ARE LED TO SLAUGHTER

HAVE WE GROWN IMMUNE TO DEATH

HAS THE ENEMY FINALLY WON

WE KILL CHRISTIANS

JEWS

MUSLIMS

HINDUS

BUDDHISTS

GAYS

OTHER RACES

OFTEN IN A NAME OF A GOD

BUT THE CHILDREN

SAFELY IN THEIR FATHER'S BOSOM

ACCEPTED AS THEY ARE

AS THEY NEVER WERE

SAY

MOURN OUR DEATH

AND BE NOT PART OF THE KILLING MACHINE

THAT HAS CAUSED SO MUCH PAIN

AND INSPIRED SO MANY KILLERS

MOURN OUR DEATH

AND FORGIVE YOUR NEIGHBOR

AS YOU YOURSELFWOULD WANT TO BE FORGIVEN

AND BY SO DOING

THROW YOURSELF

INTO THE SPOKES OF THE MACHINE

AND STOP IT

FRANK A VOLLMER