Een zoon inspireerde zijn moeder om ons dit verhaal met gedicht te sturen.
Door Mita Bhan, 19 juli 2018. All rights reserved.
While exploring the Jewish quarter of Amsterdam on a family vacation my son Bjan Lal, felt compelled to walk down the quiet road by the canal in Nieuwe Keizersgracht. He ran up to the plaques on the banks of the canal and called out to us to see and hear him say out the names out loud individually while he folded his hands in prayer. We discovered we were at the Schaduwwade memorial listing names on the plaques opposite their homes of more than 200 Jewish residents of Nieuwe Keizersgracht who were killed during WW2 . And thank God for sending us a reminder to never forget.
Memories of De Schaduwkade – Lest We Forget
For so many years my shadow floated by on the tiny waves
Waiting
For you to return
Remembering your words promising to not forget me
Or all of us here
Who lived and breathed
and walked this road
and laughed
and cried
Until we heard only Silence
Each night our souls whirled around on the tips of the dark green water peering over the shoulders of the waves
Waiting for their special someone to return,
And for me, it was you.
You.
You came.
All thirteen years of you standing there with your parents.
When I heard your voice read out my name aloud
I cried into the water
And soon we were all floating on the tearful waves
listening to your sweet shrill Indian accent
Reading aloud each and every one of our names
You didn’t forget
You returned
And while the other shadows have drifted to sleep I shall float along
these deep green waves waiting
For you to return with your wife and children.
—-Lest We Forget——-
Mita Bhan 2018. All Rights Reserved