Pillage, 1941
Russia’s forebodings come too late.
Or invasion comes too soon?
Under a baleful moon
thugs in grey uniform come
to Petersburg, to Russia’s Amber Room.
No need to be discreet. No need
to whisper. No need for look-outs.
They have raped all Europe.
Consummate in all Destructive Arts,
they shall be victors. And
victors
get the spoils.
These treasures are German now.
No marble, no carved wood or silverwork.
Each wall seems spun from sunsets' glow,
this gold-brown chamber laced with gems –
testament to skill, pride, craftsmanship.
But men weaned on drivel cannot comprehend
such splendour. So every panel and divan
each casket, chandelier, mirror – every trace
is dumped into boxes and is hauled away.
There is no backward glance, and no-one lingers,
and more, yet more cold blood drips from their fingers.
The story of Germany’s appropriation of Catherine the Great’s Amber Room during Operation Barbarossa can be read HERE and HERE.
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Great take on the prompt and the last two lines are a sinister reminder of the horror of man's follies.
ReplyDeleteThanks for climbing on board.
Dr. M & I watch the Hitler channel, I mean the History Channel, a lot. But this is a story that I haven't heard on there - although I have heard it before. It makes me think of the looting at the museum in Egypt - senseless!
ReplyDeleteThe contrast between the amber and the grey uniforms is very stark. Heartbreaking that the article says no trace of it has ever been discovered
ReplyDeletePeter G. As you say, heartbreaking. The facsimile room can never be quite the same. Maybe Robert Harrris (or A.N.Other) could make a great story about the search for the Amber Room? That would be a good read.
ReplyDeleteWow what a story! what craftsmanship- and
ReplyDeletesad beyond belief. Great job with it, thanks.
Hi Doc, I moved the orignal post with the prompts up on to the main page by changing the date, but as for the gadget you mentioned, it means nothing to me as I am still on my Learner Licence.....but I will investigate!
ReplyDeleteThis is chilling .... and brilliant. 1941 - the year of my birth and so much more!
ReplyDeleteI'm post-war, so had to read the back-story. Hard to believe there's so much amber in the world. Very spare writing.
ReplyDeleteEntertaining, and informative.
ReplyDeleteGreat poem. Loved the imagery relating to history. :O)
ReplyDelete