Those Faded Eyes
His eyes, his faded eyes, weren't always this way.
Once full of life, once full of joy that has now decayed.
Those eyes once held bursting energy…
Though now are shadows of what they used to be
Why so changed? Why so faded are this fellow's eyes?
If you had seen what he did, perhaps you'd understand.
To lose everything that mattered,
For it to slip through your hands.
Staring in those faded eyes you can plainly see
Images of horror, a shocking history:
Nocturnal silence that shakes beliefs,
The first night in the camp comes,
Terrible fire and burning flesh ensnare your senses, confirming your fears.
Violent gusts of wind whip you,
Like horrible lashes to your skin.
Though the worst is none of these..
The worst is not the fires,
Nor the shaving of heads.
The worst is not gunfire,
Ringing in one's head.
The worst is in his faded eyes,
His faded eyes that have seen
The Holocaust that forever scarred the Jewish community
His eyes, his eyes, his faded eyes
Tell you many a tale.
Though none are worse than the bursting terror
In those faded eyes.
Inspired by Night by Elie Wiesel.