Red Cup Youths Know No History

In a well educated town, in a highly educated school

they thought nothing of red cups turned swastika

for that perfect Instagram shot.

–

A Nazi salute, a hearty “Heil Hitler” made it a meme

that only needed little fingers under noses

to stick it in the dah viewers face.

–

They knew the joke was complete when 12-year-olds

daily atrocity their friend, kindness their enemy,

graffitied red cups on trails and playgrounds.

–

When Anne Frank’s ninety-year old stepsister,

who had a history and education in bigotry,

and still believed people are really good at heart,

–

knowing Anne didn’t die in Bergen-Bergen for this,

knowing she herself didn’t survive Auschwitz,

lose brother, father, future family for this,

–

knowing that the Holocaust was one family

by one family by one family’s private tragedy

supported by others in concentration camp blues

–

came to talk to the red cups about this and them,

only to be greeted with their hearty laugh

and the known knowledge that all is ash.