Steven Spender's Poem "Memento"

By: Lee A. Zito In Stephen Spender's "Memento" the first line says, "Remember the blackness of that flesh." It is important that we understand that Spender is not asking us if we remember, he is telling us to remember. To remember the horror, the injustice, and every last detail. This includes the burning of bodies, the despair, and the camps where countless of innocent people were murdered. This poem is truly a "Memento". It is …

…mass amounts of destruction. When Noah wished to know if the terrible flood had receeded, he sent a dove out in search for an answer. The answer Noah was looking symbolized peace and rest, yet in "Memento", Spender explains there is no answer in respects to the Holocaust. The only thing Spender urges us to do is remember. We must never forget that this happened, and never allowing it to happen to ever happen again.