Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Auschwitz

 

My heart cried
When my feet touched Auschwitz
Although many years have passed
It seems like yesterday

I was brought here
Along with my family
We traveled three nights in a cattle train
 Fully packed and had no space to move

When my little sister asked for water
I gave my water bottle with a small loaf of bread
Then she slept on my lap
But I was awake all the time

When the train stopped
The Doors were opened
There were no welcome signs
The SS men came with guns and dogs
SS-Totenkopfverbände greeted no one

When I saw Sonder- Commanders
I could read their eyes
They moved like living dead
Gave no word or smile

It was winter and I felt cold
I took a deep breath
My inner mind whispered
You have come to the land of death

When the Commandant came
We were separated
Some went to the labor camp
And the others to the gas chamber

They gased my parents
Along with my little sister
Their ashes were scattered
All over Auschwitz

Countless nights
I lived with the memory of my family
I worked all day long
But we were under fed

Famine and cold
Fear and beatings
Humiliations and torture
Every single day
We experienced death

There was no hope
There was no salvation
Only option left was
The electrified fence 

After many years
We heard rumors
The War is going to end
And the Red Army is moving towards Berlin

In the final days of the War
The Nazis were frantic
Joshua said
They might terminate us all

On the 27th January 1945
The Red Army came to Auschwitz
Many of us were walking skeletons

They gave us food
And said soon the War will be over 
Many became astonished
But my feelings were numbed

On the day of the liberation
Auschwitz  survivors were parted
Many went to their homes
But I had no place to go
Because my family was no more
With Joshua I moved to Santa Barbara

Many years after the war
Again I came to Auschwitz
Not as a prisoner this time
But as a witness

This is the place they eliminated my entire family
I recalled my parents and little sister
They went through the gas chimney 
Without telling me good bye 

I tightly held Joshua’s hand
When I saw the remnants of the gas chamber
I felt despair
I had no tears to cry

I could hear many voices in this place
Million and half 
Men women and children
Who were murdered by the Nazis
Then I clearly heard my little sister saying
Sara thank you for coming to see me

I closed my eyes
I wanted to be alone

Why did they do this to us?
Why Why ?

If I could speak to the whole world
I would say a few words
Please do not let it happen
Never again
Never again


by Dr Ruwan M Jayatunge 

3 comments:

  1. අවුට්ස්විච් සිර කඳවුර කියලා පොතක් කියෙව්වා මතකයි.. මතක විධිහට ගාමිණි වියන්ගොඩගේ පරිවර්තනයක්... හරිම අමානුෂිකයි ඒකේ වෙලා තිබුන දේවල්...

    ReplyDelete
  2. nice work. this poem itself is enough to understand what Auschwitz was.

    ReplyDelete

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