800,000 -1.5 million Armenians were killed by the Turks---a tragedy they have denied
The first 250 Armenian intellectuals and leaders were arrested on this day
The Turks did not hesitate to those poor souls slay
If an able bodied Armenian male, you would be arrested and quickly shot
Or put into construction battalions and worked to death as part of an extermination plot
Women, children and the elderly were uprooted and forced to flee into the dessert where died like flies
For the most part on this crime on humanity the world stood by
On this day the Turks celebrate their success at the battle of Gallipoli
Little coverage in the Turkish press of the genocide for the Turks to see
The Pope condemned the genocide but true to form Obama did not
Even though the Turks have bailed on the war on terror against ISIS being fought
It may be difficult for Turkey to admit its crimes against humanity after all these years
Germans and the Japanese initially had the same hesitation due to retribution fears
But you cannot come to grips with the genocide if a nation continues it to deny
At least there are some signs that Turkey is slowly evolving to the facts of history not defy
In Turkey calling the massacres genocide is no longer a crime
A memorial service at the Istanbul Patriarchate was held for the victims was held for the first time.
Never Again! some headlines announced
Progress not perfection in coming to grips with this genocide to be denounced
Humanity needs to speak with one voice to all forms of genocide protest
Mass exterminations we must strenuously seek to arrest
Hitler may have been a madman but he was no fool
The lack of response to the Armenians’ plight was his Holocaust learning school
© April 24, 2015 Michael P. Ridley aka the Alaskanpoet
Alaskanpoet for Hire, Poems to Admire
Poet Extraordinaire Beyond Compare
Rhymes for All the Memorable Times
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