Back in the day, not long ago
I had my lot of pain and woe.
I bled and quivered, head to toe,
I floated in a haze.
Like in a movie I once watched
A shadow in the door emerged.
I was immediately scorched
By his malicious gaze.

Authoritatively he barked:
"Get down! Face the wall!"
They tied me up and went to work
In methods manifold.

Their leader, looking grim and cold,
Began the note-taking.
I recognized a criminal
Casefile in the making.

At first the icy fingers grabbed
My throat. Then I felt a jab
Down in my gut. They took a stab
At my afflicted liver.
The blow rattled my ribcage.
My insides twisted up in rage.
The pen spat blood into the page.
The paper only shivered.

Yes, I felt like a goner
As I stripped and didn’t cringe.
An old hag in the corner
Was preparing a syringe!

Inside my body, very deep,
I felt the terror ringing:
What if the shot puts me to sleep,
And then I would start singing?

He briefly labored on my gut,
Then tied my elbow with a knot.
A tourniquet cut off the blood.
My head was also tied.
I almost let out a squeal,
But then my lips were shut and sealed,
As he just sweated, head to heel,
And scribbled with delight.

He radiated ecstasy,
But I just shouted: "Stop!
"What are you jotting? Let me see
"The shit you’re making up!"

His goon, a classic psychopath,
Restrained me, with elation.
Upon a table gleamed like death
The weapons of persuasion.

Though I could hang tough with the best,
I was subdued, I was suppressed,
So I collapsed, I got depressed,
And even kinda bored.
I lay there naked in the glow,
As he sat at the table low,
Kept taking notes, even though
I hadn’t said a word!

I was exhausted. I would need
All of my strength to surge
When they start tickling my feet
- Yes, with a blowtorch!

Though bilious, I stayed afloat
- Unwavering, unbowed!
They stuck a tube right down my throat,
But I just spat it out!

A vise grip and a stranglehold...
I watched their wickedness unfold.
They wanted to dissect my soul:
A push, a shove, a grope...
It only takes a minute here
To snatch a soul, to soil and smear,
To rip it open, front to rear,
And hang it on a rope!

"Come on, keep breathing, with your mouth,
"Exhale, you stupid ass!" -
"Oh, yeah? I’d say if I breathe out,
"It might just be my last!"

My dry mouth stretched into a grin:
"You’re stopping? What’s the matter?
"You, comrades, have to try again.
"I know you can do better!"

They killed the light and hit the gas:
A board lit up behind the glass,
My eyes sprayed mucus from the stress,
My throat gargled gently.
As he was raging, more and more,
I saw a bucket - what’s it for? -
I’ve seen these implements before:
A Nazi documentary!

They gave my ass another shot,
Then started to reload.
"Keep jabbing, sons of bitches, but
"You let me see those notes!"

I sank down to the concrete floor.
I kneeled, humiliated.
I ordered, pleaded, and implored,
Demanded and persuaded...

The garrote has made another turn.
The Bunsen burner was lit to burn.
The Cat o’ NineTails - I could have sworn -
Was next for me that day.
They won’t give up till I expire!
Still I attempted to inquire:
"I know I’m up for a hot wire,
"So what’s with the delay?"

The orgy heated up. The sweat,
Like boiling lava, flowed.
A bell rang, and a raven sat
Upon the bloodstained coat!

And quoth the raven: "Nevermore!"
(One foul happy camper!)
He leads the way straight to the morgue
Out of the torture chamber.

To them I was a simple case,
But feebly my tail I raised:
"Hey, your interrogation ways
"Are clearly out of line!
"The "good old days" you surely miss.
"You will not get away with this!
"And my confession, the law insists,
"You must give me to sign!"

Contorting out of my spine,
I tried to snatch the scroll:
"This paper I will never sign,
"Not till I read it all!"

He kept on scribbling in his chair,
Then placidly rebutted:
"We do not need your signature.
"We can proceed without it."

My little sister, don’t cry!
I won’t back off, I’d rather die!
This testimony I’ll deny
When I speak to my lawyer!
Do not believe the lies they spew!
I told them nothing, it is true!
To everybody that I knew
I stayed forever loyal!

He spoke, "Just go ahead and read.
"Cool off a bit, you cretin!"
I latched onto the scribbled sheet,
But it was all in Latin!

The fear vanished from my heart.
The truth lay undisputed:
It was a doctor’s chart
In an intensive care unit...