The following poem was written by Hilda Lebedun and shared as part of the Memory Project.
My being is engulfed in deep sorrow.
The loss of my dear sister Selma
Is very hard to swallow.
I am trying to digest the loss,
The sadness, pain and tears
Which follow. . . .
I am trying to reverse this
By remembering our growing up together
And listening to classical music
On the Victrola,
Needing winding
And changing the recording,
We did not bicker
What to play
We liked the music anyway.
It made me remember
How we took care
Of each other
In the Holocaust.
How we enjoyed being alive
and hearing that we were free!
How we tried to
Heal body and soul together,
She in New York,
I in St. Louis,
The distance and visits
Eased by telephone.
I did call her every night
For several years
To ease the living
In our destiny.
And I pray and pray,
Please God, bless and rest
Her soul in peace
For eternity.
And please comfort me
And help me in my sorrow.
[8-7-12]