Thursday, November 27, 2008

Butterflies from all around the world

I first found out about this wonderful idea from Dan, and felt very compelled to take part. In commemoration of the 1,500,000 children who died in the Holocaust , the Holocaust Museum in Boston is asking for the same number of butterflies to be sent to them by June 30, 2011.

This is a poem called The Butterfly
written by
Pavel Friedman, June 4, 1942
Born in Prague on January 7, 1921.Deported to the Terezin Concentration Camp on April 26, 1942. Died in Aushchwitz on September 29, 1944.

The last, the very last,
So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow.
Perhaps if the sun’s tears would sing against a white stone....
Such, such a yellow
Is carried lightly ’way up high.
It went away I’m sure because it wished to kiss the world good-bye.
For seven weeks I’ve lived in here,
Penned up inside this ghetto.
But I have found what I love here.
The dandelions call to me
And the white chestnut branches in the court.
Only I never saw another butterfly.
That butterfly was the last one.
Butterflies don’t live in here, in the ghetto
I have made my first butterfly, and hope this is not too poignant. I used a Tim Holtz mask ( Borderline, the barbed wire) and the children's faces and a word from Childhood Dreams. The inks are Distress inks.
I am planning several more before I send them off.

8 comments:

Flippinpest said...

You have really got the message accross with this butterfly, well done with your interpretation.I also felt the despair in the poem

Ann said...

Oh my Gosh Jennie, what a moving poem, it really brings it home, doesn't it? Your butterfly is beautiful xxx

Ellen said...

thats exactly what it is all about, it's all on your butterfly

very touching

Shazza said...

just beautiful
x

Jennie -The Artistic Stamper said...

I have just realised that the author of this poem ws born on my birthday, how strange is that?

Hels Sheridan said...

OMG Jen, that has me in tears...I think that poem is so beautiful yet tragic. Your butterfly is beautiful too xx

SueHart said...

Amazing poem. Thanks for sharing that with us.
Love your butterfly. x

Juanita said...

So glad I popped in and learned about this project. I will work up an idea. Your butterfly is amazing.