10/12

As someone who has always been deeply influenced and intrigued by what happened during the Holocaust, I'm very interested to read Reznikoff's book. Taking into consideration what our other readings were about - sort of where did poetry come from, and why do we write it, and what does it mean - it's very interesting to apply that concept to poetry that was written about the Holocaust. That something beautiful can be taken from such a disgusting collection of events is astounding, but in some way, a testament to the nature of humans. It's very bizarre that, on one hand, you've got people who not only want those terrible things to happen, but enforce them themselves... you've got people who are indifferent, who don't understand or don't care about the implications of such widespread terror... and then, you've got people who take the unforgivable doings of other people, and turn what they did into art. As a form of awareness, maybe, but art nonetheless.

Although I've studied the Holocaust pretty extensively, and read a lot of books and firsthand accounts about what people went through, each new story that I come across shocks and horrifies me just as much as the last. It's insane how millions of people were subjected to the same type of horrific treatment, and how each of them came out with a different story, all of them more unbelievable than the last. I've always felt a huge amount of empathy for the victims, regardless of how long it's been... it's a really difficult subject for me to grapple with, but one that I feel is extremely important. On the same note, it makes me wonder why more attention isn't given to other genocides, because there are things just as terrible occurring as I type this. The Holocaust gets so much attention, but it's almost like it isn't even over. I mean, obviously the time period is more appropriate for us to look at this book, but it just makes me wonder how many people wrote beautiful things about the issues in Africa, and how many people those writings affected.

It's very interesting to see how all of these things tie together. Something everyone should take away from these readings, if nothing else, is how powerful words are. I know it's a cliche and that, as such, not a lot of people pay heed to it, but it's so true.