Em 87 Ean ==: * ae Ey a sit-vith der-fl vayt, Teh go dW ee ase: In 2 dis-tawt town-let small Stands 2 house with-ovt a walt. an at Eno f + = * ass * - = [——— Sj Durhh a pents- ter wit kevn groys Ku - hw hin-der-leth a roys- Throvgh 2 To see the world the child -ren strain. 4 - wy Wins dew pans Yin-ge - lek mit flah-sw hep. — Mey- ae-iekh mit blon-de tsep Lit tle boys, sind, bright ak sound, Lit Ele girls with blond broil woomd im + = — Fy 4 a + é Wn ts -2a-mew dort mt zey ea pera eee and a- mid this pre-cious pack Al-s0 peer two eyes 50 black. A Jewish Child In a distant townlet small But the child pleads hard, cries too: ‘The house is odd ~ with people full Stands a house without a wall = Mother, let me stay with you, Little boy is mute and still ‘Through a tiny window-pane Please don't leave me here alone. Speech nor needs nor will has he, To see the world the children strain, His crying is a breathless moan, His smile is seldom there to see. Little boys, minds bright and sound, With her kiss she tries to heal, For him there is no day or night, Little girls with blond braids wound, Comfort she does not instil, No sleep though dark ~ no play though light ‘And amid this precious pack Child screams ~ no ~ Vasilco - a name that’s strange Also peer two eyes so black in panic tone, (On his shirt — his heart estranged Tl not stay here all alone, Eyes so black and full of charm, Mother wanders here and there, Nose so small, so pert and warm, Im her arms she gathers him. Like child neither speaks nor cares: Lips just right to love and kiss, Softly, sweetly hums a hymn; No one knows her tragic state, Deep black curls hard to resist. Sings ~ oh, little son, don't weep - And she waits, and waits, and waits Tiwas his mother brought him here, Till she lulls him into sleep. Like Jochebed and her child, Wrapped in night and full of fear. ‘Then her own tears freely flow, Moses’ cradle sailed the Nile, Kissed him hard with love and pain, And she leaves the house to go All alone through wind and wild, Quietly tried to explain: Into night with fear and dread, Left without her only child Here, my child, your place will be. * he Walks—Iooks straight ahead Listen, child, you must hear me. It is cold, the wind blows wild, Thave brought you here to hide, ‘A voice is heard; it cries ~ my child, Threatened is your life outside. You are left in strangers’ care, With these children you will play, I had no choice, ~ just your welfare, Still and quiet you will stay, Mother walks, and speaks out loud, Yiddish words can't come from you, Cold and late ~ it’s dark with clouds, You no longer are a Jew. Wind blows in her face so wild, God protect my only child! This song, of the Shauliai ghetto in Lithuania, was written after the slaughter of children in the ghettos and concentration camps in March, 1943. The author Khane Kheytin-Weinstein, was deported to the Stutthof conentration camp. she survived the war and lives in New York.