Maximillian Kolbe Poem by Colin Ian Jeffery

Ten men selected starved to death
Group punishment, example
Picked from assembled prisoners
Supervised by sadistic Nazi guards
Prisoners cowered, miserable, afraid
Filthy, dishevelled, mere skeletons
Thin striped jacket, trousers, cap
Spirits broken, desperate to survive
Nazi Hell of murder and extinction
Thousands gassed, bodies burnt
Men strong enough to work
Selected from arriving death trains
SS officers selecting whoo lives and dies
Strong worked to death with bodies burnt.

Fran Ciszek Gajwniczek, a Pole, was selected
From assembled prisoners to join the ten
In anguish cried out, "My wife, my children."
Maximillian Kolbe heared his cry
Volunteered to take his place to die.
"I am a Catholic priest from Poland, " he said
"And will take his place because he has wife and children."
Camp commander asked, "What does the polish pig want? "
An SS officer replied, "Die in this man's place, "
Surprised at the sacrifice the Camp commander agreed
Kolbe was taken with the ten to an underground bunker
There to suffer slow distressing death
Francian friar led men in prayers and hymns
Praising Virgin Mary, trusting God's love.

Agonising days passed, became a week
Still Kolbe raised companions' spirts
Leading them in prayers, singing God's praises
Two weeks passed and the men prayed and sang
Voices weaker, desperate for food and water
Fears calmed by gentle Francian.
Men sent to empty urine buckets
Found them empty, the ten drank their own urine
Desperation to quest raging thirsts.
Three weeks into suffering Kolbe was last to die
Killed by lethal injection when guards lost patience
Waiting for martyr to succumb to death.
Wanting the bunker clear to house more prisoners.