Gianna Lepore won 1st place for her Poetry submission and Carmen Surano won 1st place for his Media submission in the “Do Not Stand Silent: Remembering Kristallnacht” Holocaust Commemoration contest, sponsored by The Jewish Community Relations Council of the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation.
Please enjoy Miss Lepore’s poem:
SILENCE
It is the many faced monster that dwells in the
shadows,
Breathing down the necks of onlookers,
encouraging complacence.
It is the insidious force that holds the defenseless in
positions of strife,
Keeping those who would wish to speak out mute.
Fueled by fear of personal repercussions it lurks.
Whispering that a scene should not be made and
that ignorance is bliss.
However, a scene should always be made in
defense of what is right
And blissful ignorance is still ignorance.