My third (last) poem for discussion Thursday June 12 20-25 THE WAR THAT SUMMER Jill

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jill stockinger

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Jun 8, 2025, 10:09:56 PM6/8/25

to Rennaissance writing Group, Nelson, Curt, Helen Cooper, pattis...@comcast.net, RSW Jerry Roth, Celia Mccauley, Robert L. Smith, Kaolin Fire, Max Stockinger, Kim Knighton, Kathleen Kauffroath, Kelli Kauffroath

Just wrote this. Jill

Jill Stockinger

The War That Summer
In honor of Lillian, my grandmother Carrie Abrams’ youngest sister

It was complete rebellion
against my family.
It was messy, painful and loud,
witnessed by everyone around me.
The battle I was fighting
was fueled by fear and rage.
I felt negated and despised,
hit by their intense anger,
cut off by their wall of hatred.
I was fighting for who I wanted to be.

They hung the mirrors with black cloth.
Sat shiva. Declared me dead.
I thank God, the old me was.
The new me walked away from the ashes
they strewed on the bier.
I tell myself when I walked away, I won.
I have a new family founded on love.
So why these tears?

NOTE: Louis and Hannah Abrams had 4 daughters: Rose, Sadie, Carrie (Caroline) and Lillian.
When Lillian married a gentile, she was pronounced dead by the family.