Soldiers shiver against a brick wall

Bound, knees wet in slushy snow,

Blinded by their red kerchiefs,

They wait, their captors find rounds--

Click cold magazines into place,

One bound soldier starts, shudders,

Scared by locking bolts, resounding

Crisply over faded-fire winter dusk,

Sighting in, the grim squad aims

At their caps' ragged red stars.