Response to Tilia cordata

Tilia Cordata is a story poem that is more specific than a typical poem would be. The story revolves around the poet travel to places that reignite memories from her past. The memories of her traumatic past are excited by most smell but also by architecture. For the author is a holocaust survivor and in the poem she recounts the memories she experienced during her childhood. It is in Germany that the author is hit with the most complex feelings because the smell of new Germany takes her back to the past. The smell of Tilia Cordatas during her visit there bring up conflicts between what she is feeling and how she wants to feel. In the author's notes she specifically points out how she still struggles to comes to terms with her experiences and how it has created a bias within her. The poem her journey to come to terms with what has occurred but also serves as a reminder of her experience.