Finish line

The German soldiers searched
for the young and old
everyone in between
health and freedom stolen
captured like a firefly in a jar
where the light eventually fades out
the faces that were once smiling
are now blank
blank but not from confusion
blank because they felt nothing
except for the built-up frustrations
and the lingering waves of death in the air
hundreds shoved in a building
only the strongest few survived
clouds of death penetrating souls
whispering goodnight to anyone in its path
the piercing screams in the night
the stench of burning flesh in the day
so little sleep
their bodies and minds could never truly rest
they would never be at peace
not until their very last breath
mothers and fathers
their innocent young
separated by a living devil
all hope lost
for they’d be tortured
their bodies drowned in illness and beatings
all minds scarred forever
for the gas wasn't just a cloud in the sky
it was a blanket of death
waiting to be placed on them
never truly living
just trying so hard to survive
scratching tally marks in the wall
with their broken dirt filled nails
just counting
day after day
praying they could stop soon
and their freedom would return
they just wanted to draw that line
until their fates were decided
just one last line.