Daily Life

What is a bed in Ravensbrück?
A kingdom upon earth!
When the shift goes off to work,
of value is no dearth!

What is a bed three women deep?
You can barely move at all,
and exhausted after all the work
you must fight off what hops and crawls.

What is a bed just before role call,
the straw sack and the plank.
The bed is, with everything and all,
comfortable but rank.

What is a straw sack on the floor?
A most preferable thing,
because you needn't with three more
share right on this covering.

What is your bed at mother's house?
Clean and cared for, a wonder!
Without a single flea or louse
and without a bit of trouble.

What was your bed? A wooden stall
with straw and rags about,
from which to work or penal call
you'd let yourself thrown out.