Extermination Camp

I see icicles hanging
From the roof,
Reflecting rainbow
Images like a spoof,
The camp - cold,
Covered with snow
Except for the warmth
From the ovens' glow,
On a nearby, small hill
In air filled with chill,
Naked men are standing still
For their last commanded appeal,
Covered head to toe with ice,
While a SS officer smiles,
Saying: 'You look really nice.'
Then, the men drop one by one
Till the last one is all gone.
My thoughts wander to last week
As a change in reflections I seek
When I met this sweet, young lass,
Could have loved her,
But today they killed her with gas.
Now, I think I would do well
To escape this unbearable hell,
And to me, it sure makes sense
To run into the closest
Electrical fence.

The inmates found
His burned body
The following day.
'Lucky chap', they said,
'He got away'.

Alfred Charasz
Copyright 2006 Alfred Charasz