Out of the Dark

By Lillian Boraks-Nemetz

This collection offers a cycle of poems about the poet who, as a child survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto, has had to live with the memories of the Holocaust all her life. The first section describes the evils of suffering and prejudice, of war and destruction, and the loss of loved ones, even the loss of self. “This is a ghetto / where humans live in neglected cages / within a fire that burns sleep out of their eyes.” The second section brings glimmers of light in finding ways to move towards a better, fuller life, as the poet realizes “We must always seek / new ways / of reaching one another / though each of us / is a world unto itself.” The third section offers a tribute to the artists and poets who have come before and who have left behind their gifts for us. It recognizes the connections and love within the family and the ability to live and love. “I run toward you / carrying the glow of marigolds / lighting your path to my love.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ronsdale Press
• Release date: Nov 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9781553806332

Lillian Boraks-Nemetz

Lillian Boraks-Nemetz was born in Warsaw, Poland, where she survived the Holocaust as a child, escaped the Warsaw Ghetto and lived in Polish villages under a false identity. She has a Master’s Degree in Comparative Literature and teaches Creative Writing at the University of British Columbia. She is the author of numerous books, including Ghost Children, a collection of poetry, and The Old Brown Suitcase, a multi award-winning young adult novel.

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