‘Dogs of War No.1’:

Blondi’s Villanelle

“Hitler allegedly taught his dog Blondi the Nazi Party salute”.

We really are ‘just good friends’ though of course I knew
There was something deep down not at all quite right.
But don’t blame us dogs – we didn’t kill six millions Jews!

As time went on in the bunker, yes, I intuited a few
‘Anomalies’ in his demeanour that to me seemed slight,
We really are ‘just good friends’ though of course I knew

From Eva that the story outside our garden was bad news
Yet I sniffed out no one getting ready for sudden flight,
So, don’t blame us dogs – we didn’t kill six million Jews!

I even asked the Goebbels children for their honest views
But they seemed sleepy and dozed a lot in the neon light,
We really are ‘just good friends’ though of course I knew

There would be trouble as the sound of distant bombing grew
And one by one the half-drunk soldiers said it would be ‘tonight’.
No, don’t blame us dogs – we didn’t kill six million Jews!

He forced my snout apart and swallowing hard I then threw
Up on the betrayer before the light grew dim and all was night.
We really weren’t good friends and of course by then even I knew.
You wouldn’t blame us dogs – I couldn’t kill six million Jews!