Flesh and Flame

Snow falls gently from the hazy sky,

Dancing around us like glittering faeries, lively and joyful.

The Sun smiles, her arms reaching lovingly towards us, but never reaching.

They mock us.

Screams fill the air, a thousand cries of anguish,

As flesh meets flame,

And Life meets Death.

Sweat stings my soot-filled eyes,

Angry snowflakes bite at my frozen toes.

A child’s emaciated body weighs down my aching arms, burdens my ailing conscience.

One more for the crematorium,

One more step towards the end of my faith.

Yet, somehow, the sun still shines.

Far, far away, families eat together, laugh together, drink together,

Ignorant of the suffering of my people, of the blessing of life that they have been given,

Oblivious to the approaching annihilation of my people.