An Analysis Of I Cannot Forget By Alexander Kimel

“I Cannot Forget” is a poem written by Alexander Kimel in 1942 in which he tackles his experience in the Ghetto of Rohatyn. The title of the poem suggests an internal conflict from which the poet suffers. He wants to forget the days when “{The Jews} lived in terribly overcrowded quarters, were given too little to eat and little or no medicine and were forced to work in factories” (Abzug 110). However, he knows very well that he should not because millions of people died for the sake of one man. In this sense, the title paves the way for the main theme of the poem which is the difficulty of forgetting the miserable life of the ghettos. In addition, anger plays an important role in the poem, although it is not expressed in a direct way, but it is the reason why Kimel cannot forget. At the beginning of the poem, he seems confused and miserable. But his tone gradually changes since he gets angry and more determined rather than just being sad and perplexed. The poem seems to be like an interior monologue in which Kimel reveals his thoughts and internal conflict using first person pronouns. “I Cannot Forget” is considered to be a free verse in which the writer wants to be freed from all restrictions and express his thoughts unconsciously. It consists of thirty lines, divided into five stanzas, six lines each with

He employs kinesthetic and organic images in “swollen legs, moving with fear” (5). He is trying to depict the feelings of the Jews in the ghetto before the raid. They were always afraid of being captured. Their life was controlled by other people and this is one of the reasons why they now suffer from complex trauma. Furthermore, he uses an auditory image in “The shouts of the Raiders, enjoying the hunt” (8). One can hear the sound of the German soldiers while attacking the Jews. They enjoy killing them and this may be considered a symbol of