Kristallnacht

[Todd]

Hi Aish,

Love the idea for the poem. I'm surprised I haven't seen more on the subject. Here are some comments for you.

Stormtroopers--I like stormtroopers as a lead in. I'm not always a fan of one word lines, but this works for me because it fixes the setting with the title immediately. I also like the stormtroopers-vandals-ovens single word lines as they stand out together.
curse break and steal--This is a short poem and a brutal one so while I feel that I want this expressed more with imagery I don't want any kind of flourish to it if that makes sense. When I read this line though it feels like shorthand for the event and that seems to rob it of its intensity. I want the poem to build more here. This could just be me.
all through the November--if you keep steal as the break on the previous line I think by cutting all you emphasize more strongly the double meaning of the word (steal) with the enjambment
night. Lives disappear. Triumphant--good break
vandals
ransack and burn the soul of God.--here's where the poem takes off for me. This line and everything after it sings. The idea of burning god by burning those who consider themselves the people of god is well said here.
Demonic gingerbread
will bake in greedy
ovens.--what a powerful image. Powerful is overused but this has definite impact. I love the ending.

In my opinion, concentrating on elevating the beginning of the poem to match the ending lines would be where I'd look to revise. I'd love to see if you could come up with imagery in the beginning to match the demonic gingerbread image at the end.

Just my thoughts.

Best,

Todd