Mezei András: Snails, grass, data (Adatok Angol nyelven)

Aki nem tudott lépést tartani
lehajolt inni, a szájába havat
tömött a hegyekben, aki megállt,
a cipőjét kötözte Dachau felé, fű,
repce, csiga, fű, repce, amellyel apám
maga tömte teli a száját, anyám
szájában lóherével, nővérem nyitott
szájában összeroppantott csigaházakkal,
ahogyan ott feküdtek félig
az útpadkán, félig a szántóföldön
fű, repce, csiga, fű, lóhere, repce,
a teli szájakért való állandó
dörrenésekben, 300 km 8 nap alatt.
Indult 13000. Érkezett 1800.

The columns shrunk – for the frail ones fell behind  
or sought survival by scooping up some snow
to quench their thirst in the mountains along the route
to Dachau, or briefly stooped to tighten their boots
or pick up a snail or a fistful of grass or rape
to fill their mouths and fool their famished stomachs.
They often died in the intermittent fire
provoked by their looting and insubordination,
like mother caught with clover filling her mouth,
and sister with crushed snails in her gaping mouth.
Their corpses were abandoned among the fruit
of the fields: the snails, the grass, the rape, the clover.
Some 13,000 civilian captives dispatched on a 300km
march  that took 8 days. Some 1,800 arrived.