All Gone

his father told him

not to worry

and to meet him

everyday

after dinner

by the fence

that separated

where the boys lived

and the men lived

and so he did

everyday

and the minutes

they had together

were all that was left

his mother

and sister

were somewhere else

in that awful place

where people screamed

and disappeared

and there was very little food

and it was cold

and he had to pretend

to be older

like his father told him

because younger boys

are taken somewhere

and never return

he did not know why

they were taken from their home

so many

such a long trip

filth

agony

sickness

pain

despair

death

so each day

he went to that fence

for many months

as his father grew thinner

and his mother

and sister

were somewhere else

I love you, said father

be strong

be brave

work hard

come tomorrow

my son

and so he did

except his father

was not there

that day

or the next day

or any other day

again

and all that he had

was all gone

in that awful place

called Auschwitz

 

© 2012  Michael Fiveson