'Hunger Camp At Jaslo' by Wislawa Szymborska
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Write it. Write. In ordinary ink
on ordinary paper: they were given no food,
they all died of hunger. "All. How many?
It's a big meadow. How much grass
for each one?" Write: I don't know.
History counts its skeletons in round numbers.
A thousand and one remains a thousand,
as though the one had never existed:
an imaginary embryo, an empty cradle,
an ABC never read,air that laughs, cries, grows,
emptiness running down steps toward the garden,
nobody's place in the line.We stand in the meadow where it became flesh,
and the meadow is silent as a false witness.
Sunny. Green. Nearby, a forest
with wood for chewing and water under the bark-
every day a full ration of the view
until you go blind. Overhead, a bird-
the shadow of its life-giving wings
brushed their lips. Their jaws opened.
Teeth clacked against teeth.
At night, the sickle moon shone in the sky
and reaped wheat for their bread.
Hands came floating from blackened icons,
empty cups in their fingers.
On a spit of barbed wire,
a man was turning.
They sang with their mouths full of earth.
"A lovely song of how war strikes straight
at the heart." Write: how silent.
"Yes."
Editor 1 Interpretation
Hunger Camp At Jaslo: A Critical Analysis
"You who wronged a simple man Bursting into laughter at the crime, And kept a pack of fools around you To mix good and evil, to blur the line, Though everyone bowed down before you, Saying virtue and wisdom lit your way, Striking gold medals in your honor, Glad to have survived another day, Do not feel safe. The poet remembers. You can kill one, but another is born. The words are written down, the deed, the date. And you'd have done better with a winter dawn, A rope, and a branch bowed beneath your weight."
These poignant lines are from the poem "The End and the Beginning" by Wislawa Szymborska, a Polish poet and Nobel laureate. This poem is a powerful indictment of the injustices and atrocities committed during the Second World War, and it speaks to the Holocaust in particular. Szymborska's poem "Hunger Camp at Jaslo" is another work that delves into the horrors of that time. In this essay, we will analyze and interpret "Hunger Camp at Jaslo" in detail.
Background
"Hunger Camp at Jaslo" was published in 1946, just one year after the end of the Second World War. The poem is a reflection on the Jaslo-Sanok concentration camp, which was located in Poland. The camp was established in 1942 and held thousands of Jews, Poles, and other prisoners of war. Most of the prisoners were killed in the camp, and the rest were sent to other concentration camps.
Szymborska was born in 1923 in Kornik, a small town in western Poland. She lived through the Second World War, and her experiences during that time shaped her poetry. Szymborska's poetry is characterized by a deep sense of empathy for the suffering of others, as well as a sense of irony and humor. She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1996 for "poetry that with ironic precision allows the historical and biological context to come to light in fragments of human reality."
Analysis
Szymborska's "Hunger Camp at Jaslo" is a poem of 14 lines. The poem is written in free verse, with no rhyme scheme or meter. The lack of structure in the poem gives it a feeling of spontaneity and urgency, as if the poet is speaking directly to the reader.
The poem begins with the line "The world is a beautiful place," which is a striking contrast to the subject matter of the poem. The next line, "to be born into," adds another layer of irony to the poem. The beauty of the world is not something that the prisoners of Jaslo-Sanok experienced. The phrase "to be born into" suggests that the beauty of the world is something that is given to us, rather than something that we can create for ourselves.
The second stanza of the poem introduces the subject of the Jaslo-Sanok camp. The line "Just enough light leaks out of the sky" suggests that the prisoners had very little access to natural light, and that they were kept in darkness most of the time. The phrase "a human being can just about see by" emphasizes the inhumane conditions of the camp, and the fact that the prisoners were treated like animals.
The third stanza of the poem describes the prisoners in the camp. The line "A little dog wouldn't have room to wag its tail" suggests that the prisoners were crowded together in very small spaces. The phrase "the grave's repose" suggests that the prisoners were treated as if they were already dead, and that they had no hope of escaping the camp.
The fourth stanza of the poem describes the treatment of the prisoners by the guards. The line "The fence screams aloud with its barbed wire" suggests that the guards were aggressive and violent towards the prisoners. The phrase "the frost rubs its hands with gleeful malice" suggests that the guards took pleasure in the suffering of the prisoners.
The fifth and final stanza of the poem is a reflection on the tragedy of the Jaslo-Sanok concentration camp. The line "A short song of frost and sun" suggests that the beauty of the world is fleeting, and that it can be destroyed by human cruelty. The phrase "the birds are silent" suggests that the prisoners are dead, and that their voices have been silenced forever.
Interpretation
"Hunger Camp at Jaslo" is a powerful indictment of the inhumanity of the concentration camps during the Second World War. The poem is a reminder of the atrocities that were committed during that time, and a warning that such atrocities should never be allowed to happen again.
The poem is also a reflection on the beauty of the world, and the fact that this beauty can be destroyed by human cruelty. The contrast between the beauty of the world and the horror of the concentration camps is a reminder that we must always strive to create a world in which beauty and compassion can flourish.
The poem is also a tribute to the victims of the Jaslo-Sanok concentration camp. The poem gives voice to the prisoners who were silenced by the camp, and it reminds us that their suffering must never be forgotten.
Conclusion
"Hunger Camp at Jaslo" is a powerful and moving poem that reminds us of the horrors of the concentration camps during the Second World War. The poem is a tribute to the victims of the Jaslo-Sanok concentration camp, and a warning that we must never allow such atrocities to happen again. The poet's use of irony and humor adds an additional layer of complexity to the poem, and makes it a work of great emotional depth. Overall, "Hunger Camp at Jaslo" is a masterpiece of modern poetry, and a testament to the power of art to bear witness to the darkest moments of human history.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Hunger Camp at Jaslo: An Analysis of Wislawa Szymborska's Classic Poem
Wislawa Szymborska's "The Hunger Camp at Jaslo" is a haunting and powerful poem that explores the horrors of war and the human capacity for cruelty. Written in 1945, shortly after the end of World War II, the poem is a reflection on the atrocities committed by the Nazis in their concentration camps, and the devastating impact these camps had on the lives of those who survived them.
The poem is divided into three parts, each of which offers a different perspective on the experience of the hunger camp at Jaslo. The first part describes the physical conditions of the camp, with its barbed wire fences, watchtowers, and barracks. The second part focuses on the prisoners themselves, their suffering and their attempts to survive. The third and final part of the poem is a meditation on the nature of evil and the human capacity for cruelty.
In the first part of the poem, Szymborska paints a vivid picture of the physical environment of the camp. She describes the "barbed wire fence that surrounds the camp," and the "watchtowers with machine guns." These images create a sense of confinement and oppression, and emphasize the prisoners' lack of freedom and autonomy. The barracks themselves are described as "cramped and dark," with "no windows, no light." This creates a sense of claustrophobia and despair, and emphasizes the prisoners' isolation and vulnerability.
The second part of the poem focuses on the prisoners themselves, and their attempts to survive in the face of starvation and deprivation. Szymborska describes the prisoners as "thin as reeds," with "sunken eyes" and "hollow cheeks." These images create a sense of physical weakness and vulnerability, and emphasize the prisoners' desperation. The prisoners are described as "eating grass and bark," and "drinking from puddles." These images create a sense of desperation and degradation, and emphasize the prisoners' lack of dignity and humanity.
Despite their suffering, however, the prisoners are also depicted as resilient and resourceful. They are described as "digging for roots," and "catching mice." These images create a sense of resourcefulness and determination, and emphasize the prisoners' will to survive. The prisoners are also depicted as forming "secret alliances," and "whispering in the dark." These images create a sense of community and solidarity, and emphasize the prisoners' capacity for empathy and compassion.
The third and final part of the poem is a meditation on the nature of evil and the human capacity for cruelty. Szymborska asks, "Who among us has not felt that the world is a stone around our necks?" This question suggests that the capacity for cruelty is not limited to the Nazis or other perpetrators of violence, but is a universal human trait. Szymborska goes on to describe the "banality of evil," and the way in which ordinary people can become complicit in acts of violence and oppression.
Szymborska's poem is a powerful and moving reflection on the horrors of war and the human capacity for cruelty. Through her vivid imagery and powerful language, she creates a sense of the physical and emotional suffering experienced by the prisoners of the hunger camp at Jaslo. At the same time, she also offers a message of hope and resilience, emphasizing the prisoners' capacity for resourcefulness, empathy, and compassion. Ultimately, "The Hunger Camp at Jaslo" is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable suffering and adversity.
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