Show and Tell

On Show and Tell day, Eva did show

Her golden star necklace that she got long ago

She told of a time called the Holocaust

Through which her Grandma called Bubby had never lost

That shiny necklace, or her prayers and wishes

And the laws of her faith and its special traditions

The star dangled from a little chain

It has lots of history, Eva did claim

It had had six points, she counted them all

More than the one of our Christmas tree in our hall 

I had never heard of this Holocaust from my best friend

But I hoped that it wouldn’t happen ever again

At recess Carl claimed it was make-believe

The Holocaust never happened, we all were deceived

I did not like that Eva told such a scary lie

The whole class ignored her all day, didn’t even tell why

On my was home from school I walked in a straight line

Eva walks the same way, she lives real close by

She called, “Blair wait! So we can walk together”

I whipped around with the wind in the cool autumn weather

“I can’t walk with a liar, and I can’t be your friend!”

As my words left my lips I heard the mean sound they sent

Eva swallowed real hard and stood real proud

“I am telling the truth”, She shouted out loud

“Come to my house and you may ask

My Bubby to tell you about her past”

I took a deep breath; Cause I couldn’t refuse

This was my chance to learn the real truth

Eva’s house was warm and smelled of sweets

A voice called, “Who’s hungry? I’ve baked a fresh treat.”

Her Bubby served us cider and apple crisp

I polished off every bite on my dish

But I noticed that as she turned to leave

There were black numbers under her sleeve

“Did you draw on yourself?, My Mom doesn’t let”

She closed her eyed and sighed; “These numbers help me not to forget”

She told me about how she was taken away

From her friends and her family, on her birthday

By bad guys called Nazis who wore spiders on their shoulders

And bullied everybody and spread hate all over

They didn’t like those who were different than them

So they made them wear golden stars on their pins

Just like the one hanging from Eva’s chain

It had survived with her, Bubby explained

“But I knew I’d escape and tell to the world

All that I’d seen when I was a girl

That necklace would be my way that it would be shown and told

The strength of my nation and it’s heart of gold”

The next show-and-tell, when it was my turn

I wanted to share what I had learned

 “Eva’s telling the truth and we cannot let

Lies about the past make us forget

If we don’t want to remember because it’s too sad

Then those souls are lost forever; we’ve learned nothing from the bad

That star is proof that you can survive

By keeping your hope and faith alive

We must show the strength that still lives today

And tell of the tales of those who found the way

If they didn’t fight for the truth then they would have fell

Now, we must prove to the world, we must show and tell

A Hundred Heart Tarts

One day in the kitchen Bella was learning to bake

But all by herself; what a mess she did make!

She was busy flowering both of her hands

As she tried to follow the recipe’s demands

She needed ingredients for mother’s magical heart tarts

But she didn’t have what she needed to start

She saw the book read “One cup of magic”

She thought as she smiled, “I don’t think I have it.”

I suppose I’ll substitute some sugar and caramel

Cinnamon, chocolates, what a wonderful smell!

A pinch of vanilla now was it a dash? Oh what is the matter

If I sprinkle some sprinkles into the batter?

Now, it needs some pink jelly, or was it jell-o or jam?

Well if it’s pink and gooey, it goes into the pan!”

After twelve marshmallows and a jar of peanut butter

She shaped each tart to a heart with mother’s cookie cutter

And as she set the pan in the oven to cook

She lost track of the time she did not even look

By noon she noticed she had left them alone

As she ran to open the oven door; a sweet smell filled her home

She took the out the tarts and she stopped and she wondered

How there were so many, maybe even a hundred!

They all were unique; every single one

A new taste and color, filled with flavor and fun

What’s that smell asked her brother, may I have a bite?”

Happy to share Bella smiled “All right”

“Why this is the best cookie I did ever chew”

“Bella you have a gift, really you really do.”

Just then she hatched a plan, “Why don’t we share 

All of our cookies? We’ll take them everywhere!”

And so they filled their red wagon to the brim

And magically the whole big batch fit right it

As they rolled down their very own street

They presented to all they saw a fresh treat

They gave a dozen to the Browns to fill their new home

Now their new neighbors will not feel so alone

They shared with the builders who were breaking for lunch

Who needed some smiles and something sweet to munch

They brought them to their crabby neighbor Miss Mile

She told them “Thank You”, even let out a smile

They made cookie crumbs to fed to the birds

Who cooed their delight they didn’t need words

The mailman, and jogging Mommies all smiled in amazement

“You’re sweet to share your treats. This one’s my favorite”

The cookies came crunchy, big, soft and bite-size

They shared them with all sorts of people and served them with pride

They brought them to the playground and the pond at the park

Where the children munched happily until it was dark

That night as Bella and her brother split the last tart with one another

She became quite curious and asked her mother

“A cup of magic? Is that sold in the stores?

I would like to try some. Do you have anymore?”

Her mother laughed, “The only magic in the tarts

Is the kind that you find from the love in your heart

Your cookies were made with sweets and kind wishes

And that is what made them so special and delicious

For goodness of the heart is the recipe for treats

That will always turn out tasty and sweet”

Bella thought about it, how she could never know

Just how much goodness came from that crazy dough