The statement of inquiry is relevant to the poems. The contexts of societal issues do indeed shape our points of view and encourage better communication whilst simultaneously cultivating a spirit of solidarity with those who suffer. The three poems, “If – ”, “Tramp” and “Refugee Blues” not only capture the essence of this truth, but also allude to the fact that “it matters not how straight the gate” or “how charged with punishments the scroll”, wherever life is, there too shall hope, even if only a glimpse of it, be.
The three poems woven together tell a story that does not belong to the rich nor to the homeless, it is a story that everyone shares. It is that of pain and suffering, a longing for somewhere to belong and the desire to have “the Earth and everything that’s in it”. If the words of
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Understanding the context of the World Wars not only gives one insight into the suffering of the German Jews, but also highlights the danger of having a single story of a people to the point of believing that they are underserving of life, which is perhaps the only thing that no human, alive or dead, is more deserving of than another. The poem makes use of images of nature such as “spring as it blossoms anew” and “fish swimming” which highlights the importance of life above all else. The poem also puts an emphasis on looking at human beings as “souls” instead of using measures such as wealth and class to define them. This not only challenges the status quo but raises a sense of urgency within the reader to check themselves. As our paradigms shift, so does the way we communicate with and about those who suffer and along with that, how we tell their stories and how we see them and ourselves in the world. It changes our attitudes towards them and forces one to communicate with kindness, compassion and a deep appreciating for ordinary things and ordinary