By Joanne Jagoda
early 1930’s, Hamburg Germany
handsome twins; tall, dapper, in well- tailored suits,
the one with a walking stick was my father,
strolling on a busy street
flanking their beaming mother
bursting with pride; it’s obvious
her face, lovely, sculpted
even amused passersby, watch them posing
so guileless, innocent, sweet
but if a prescient fortune teller could have read their cards that day
they would not have believed what lay ahead
their beloved mother would be deported first to Teresen
then sent to Auschwitz, May 15, 1944
taken to the gas chambers on arrival
I cling to this one photo, a singular remembrance
of this noble woman, my grandmother,
who never held me in her arms
or cuddled me on her lap
I study every tiny detail of the photo
carefully preserving it in my mind and heart
but I take that day for what it was, no more no less
just a perfect moment in time,
a mother enjoying a moment with her handsome sons
First Place in the Gemini Magazine Open Poetry Competition, May 2022
Joanne Jagoda 