Poetry Page - Grades 7-12
From The Death Mazurka by Charles Fishman
Star
SHE made the star too large-
who knew better? Did they enclose
a template with the order? It was
her nature to be generous. And he?
He walked slowly under the new burden.
At work, the others smiled in their sleeves:
The star among us! one wit called him,
and another: Star of our nativity!
Later, under a street lamp, darkness
radiating from him...The butcher's door
was shut but a star scrawled on the glass
spoke openly: Juden! Juden! On his back,
his own star moved. Star of Life.
Star of Death.