The Survivor

I am twenty-four,

Led to slaughter,

I survived.

The following are empty synonyms:

Man and beast,

Love and hate,

Friend and foe,

Darkness and light.

The way of killing men and beasts is the same

I've seen it:

Truckfuls of chopped-up men

Who will not be saved.

Ideas are mere words:

Virtue and crime

Truth and lies

Beauty and ugliness

Courage and cowardice.

Virtue and crime weigh the same

I've seen it:

in a man who was both

criminal and virtuous.

I seek a teacher and a master

May he restore my sight hearing and speech

May he again names objects and ideas

May he separates the darkness from light.

I am twenty-four

led to slaughter

I survived.