Other Victims

Other Victims I’ve lived a verysheltered, and fortunate life,no doubt.I’ve lived isolatedfrom the many problems of the world.To the east and the westthere is water;to the north, Canada,whom we call an ally.Perhaps there is troublestirring in the south;time will tell. 

1. Petrivna

 Petrivna was a youngUkrainian girlwhen the Germans invadedin ’41.I never met her,only read about her in the news.She was not a Nazi,nor a collaborator.She was not a Jew,Gypsy, or protestor.Petrivna fellin the “in between” category;useful for work,not death.Young Petrivna’s jobduring the occupation was towalk on top the bodiespiled in the pit graves,to make room for more victims.Petrivna was in fourth grade,when she walked over top her classmate,another young Ukrainian girlwho remained nameless in the article I read.Petrivna and her friendare both victims in their way.    In my land of opportunity,in the milk and honey stateI wonder how many peoplehave never had a name.I wonder how many peopleare faceless, holed upin cellars, in vaults,in the brothels, and the fields. 

2. Igor Perchov

 Igor servedin the army of Ukraine.When his unit was capturedIgor was lined against a brick wallalong with the rest of his men.When the bullets sprayed,and the soldiers fellIgor lay motionless for two daysunder the stench of his comrades.When he felt safe enough to moveIgor walked awayfrom the village,changed his name,and deserted the army.He too,is another type of victim. 

3. Safran and Alex

 Safran hired Igorsixty years later,not knowing his history.Safran’s grandfatherhad gotten a youngUkrainian Jew pregnant,and he wanted to find outwhat happened to her.Igor reluctantly agreedat the behest of his grandson Alexto give Safran a tour of Ukraine.When they found the womanwho would have been Safran’s auntshe led them to a small fieldwith a nearby creek.She told aboutthe day the village was invaded;when Safran’s grandfatherwouldn’t spit on her sister a soldier put the muzzleof a Luger in her belly,then made him and his comradesdig the pit.This revelationmade Igor slit his wrists,as he recognized the womanwhose sister’s grave he helped dig.Until then, even Alex had no ideahis Grandpa was a soldier.Safran found his bodyin a hotel bathtub,blood streaming ontothe tile floor.In his own waySafran, too, is a victim. In sixty years,in six millennia,in a million years or morehow many people lay under the ground, unknown?How many are hiddenby history, their names and faces forgotten? 

4. Without names

 In the fields of Europe,and under the land and hillsof Iraq, of Israel.In Palestine, and Chileand Columbia;how deep do these people lay?if bones have names,if names have meaning,and if a person’s life has meaningwithout a name,to whom is that person’s value?when bone becomes dust,when dust becomes dirt,when history and familyand genealogy crumblewho will remember them?goodnight, Petrivna,goodnight Igor,and to those of the Ukrainewhose name’s I’ll never know,goodnight.