Lines of Despair

The lines stretch for miles.
I must remember their names, their faces, their stories
Relatives will wonder if their loved ones still wear the star
Wherever they try to send me I will not let my spirit be broken
When I get back home I will fill the lines they erase with my pen
Words to be read so the world cannot forget
They think yellow stars make us weak
Do they not see the stars in the sky?
Do they not know God filled the heavens with stars so that we would not
be alone?
The lines are now behind us
My family is next
Grandpa to the left                 Father to the right
I clutch my sister's hand so tightly I can feel her racing pulse
pressed against my palm
She looks at me with hollow eyes
As we step toward the German soldier the strength I promised her
trembling body is ripped from my fingers
A star to the left                     A star to the right
The lines continue
As ashes block the sky.