Holocaust by Barbara Sonek poem and questions

We played, we laughed
we were loved.
We were ripped from the arms of our
parents and thrown into the fire.
We were nothing more than children.
We had a future. We were going to be lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers. We had dreams, then we had no hope. We were taken away in the dead of night like cattle in cars, no air to breathe smothering, crying, starving, dying. Separated from the world to be no more. From the ashes, hear our plea. This atrocity to mankind can not happen again. Remember us, 

for we were the children whose dreams and lives were stolen away.

1. What is your initial reaction to this poem?
2. How does the author use 'we' in this poem?
3. What are the verbs used in the first sentence?
4. What are the verbs used in the second sentence? How do they contrast with those used in the first sentence?
5. What effect does the listing of 'lawyers, rabbis, wives, teachers, mothers'? What is it meant to signify?
6. What simile is used in the poem and what effect does it have?
7. How has the poet represented herself in the last sentence?
8. If you could communicate to this person, a victim of the Holocaust, what would you want to say? What do you feel that you must do in your life as a response to this poem?

 1. It is a very sad, deep and horrific poem which gives you more of an insight of how terrible the holocaust was.

2.   she uses 'we' because she was either a victim of the holocaust or had relatives that were a part of it.

3. the verbs in the first sentence were ; played. laughed and loved.

4.  verbs used in the second sentence include; ripped and thrown. This is different to the verbs used in the first sentence because the verbs used in the first sentence are all positive happy verbs where as the verbs used int he second sentence are negative and brutal.

5. The listing of lawyers,mothers etc signify what the Jewish people would of become.

6. " like cattle in cars " was the simile used in the poem. This makes the reader fell that the Jews were treated like animals going towards the slaughter house.

7. She includes herself by using 'we' and 'us' in the last sentence. This makes the readers think that she has experienced the holocaust. 

8. If I had ever met the author in real life I would be very empathetic and respectful towards her. This poem makes me want to fight for equality and enjoy the freedom I have been given.