For Whom Do I Sing My Songs?
For whom do I sing my songs?
(To Hershl-on the 10th Anniversary of his passing, August, 1976)
Who really shows concern?
Why again stir up that gnawing. . .
As I eternally yearn-
Constantly in that loneliness-all absorbing?
My heart refuses to be still,
Tearing chunks of my life from me-
A great grief tears at my will,
My heart turns to stone gradually
How can blood course through my veins,
When my conscience plagues me so.
With such excruciating pains? I live! Eyes widely opened,
As I gaze upon the earth
With its fearful flames unbridled-
And feel my loss-horrible dearth!
Oh how heavily they paid-
Father-mother....
How dreadful, the barter made-
Sister-brother!
How can I forgive
The thought
That I alone am spared....
That I alone live!
You speak that tortured phrase-
"It is so fated"-"it is so fated. . . "
Can I, with words so blase,
Be forever sated?
Your martyr's lives-
Daughter. . . sister. . . Jews-all-
Lost in awesome carnage....
Were contributions
Beyond duty's call. . .
To leave a blessed heritage,
For which you gallently stood
And implanted
With your Yiddish blood.
'Tis good-'tis good
That the song will remain. . .
'Tis for them
That you always can
Sing the song,
Again and again.
Yes, for them
You sing your songs-
This hearty Yiddish refrain.