I watched the bird fly across the fence,
It came back with a twig in its beak,
Lay it on a thick branch of a tree
And flew off again, fearless and free
I watched the bird fly across the fence
Saw it nibble at some grass,
It came back again with something soft
And placed it in the nest aloft
I watched the bird fly across the fence,
Do the same thing again and again
And I wondered if it had a choice
Why did it nest in a place without joys?
I watched the bird fly across the fence,
And wished I was the bird,
Who was free to do what it wanted,
And not in the camp be haunted.
I watched the bird fly across the fence,
And envied the freedom it had
It could decide to settle outside;
Somewhere without soldiers beside
I watched the bird fly across the fence,
And come back again with a leaf
I wished I could give it a warning,
And tell it about the miserable mornings
I watched the bird fly across the fence,
And thought of how it would settle there
It had no idea that families weren’t allowed
And that people were beaten in a crowd
I watched the bird fly across the fence,
I threw a stone, and broke its nest.
It could find a home outside, my eyes turned damp
But any place was better than the concentration camp.