Panzer

 

Gretchen wept in her easy chair

And called for her husband, Karl,

They'd been together for sixty years,

Though both were worn and frail.

They'd met in the ruins of München, when

The Reich collapsed and fell,

Escaped to live in Australia

From their own idea of hell.

 

For Karl had served in the Wehrmacht,

In a Tank Corps at Dieppe,

Had served in the Panzergruppe von Kleist

Had roamed the Russian steppes,

His tank had taken him through Ukraine

They'd taken the plains by force,

But found their pain when the Russians came,

In their huge T-34's.

 

But that was the world of way back when,

For Karl was old and grey,

He slept a lot in his tidy home,

The nurse came every day,

His wife developed dementia, she'd

Forget where she used to roam,

So she was parted from husband Karl,

Was sent to a Nursing Home!

 

He walked with the aid of a walking frame,

He couldn't quite get around,

But listened for echoes of Gretchen's voice

In the house that made no sound,

And all he thought was to rescue her,

To bring his girl back home,

But the powers that be said: 'Wait and see!'

She was lost to him - Alone!

 

He went to visit her, once a week,

They held each other's hand,

She cried so much when he had to leave,

She never could understand,

And he was desolate every time,

He'd cling to her so tight,

That they had to prise his hand away

When they sent him away at night.

 

The nurses were harsh and businesslike,

To them it was just a job,

With no compassion for patients, they

Would leave all that to God.

Demented souls ran over his feet

With trolleys and walking frames,

When Karl grew angry, they shrugged and said:

'Well - Everyone complains!'

 

One Sunday, standing outside the doors,

He saw his Tiger Tank,

It growled, and pulled up beside him there

And the diesel fumes, they stank.

He climbed aboard with his comrades there,

And 'Schnell!' they called, to a man,

Then lumbered straight through the double doors,

The nurses turned and ran!

 

The Tiger reared and it turned about

Tore carpet up from the floor,

The tracks ran over the matron's feet,

Let out a fearful roar,

The patients cheered as the Iron Cross

Raced past their common room,

And smashed the glass in the office door,

And crushed the sister's urn!

 

Then Gretchen laughed as he came in sight,

'Here comes my husband, Karl!

He'll break us out of this prison ward,

Can you hear his Tiger snarl?'

He stopped and reached for his Gretchen then

Looked deep in her eyes, and swore:

'I'll not be parted from you again

Though hell should bar the door!'

 

They found them lying together there,

He held her safe in his arms,

They'd gone together where lovers go

Away from the world's alarms.

'He went quite crazy,' the Matron said,

'He must have been insane!'

For lying outside her shattered door

Was his twisted walking frame!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[R J Askew]

I just read this again, Christmas Day! it popped up in some prompt box. I love it. There is a terrible ill-gotten romance to it. We can't like Karl as he was on the losing side which was evil. But he was just another bloke we feel. And then we are sad that the hero becomes just another old geezer struggling with age. Then you turn the tables and make us feel sorry for the old enemy. We even cheer at the notion of his tiger churning up the new nazi in nursing blue. But we then realise that Karl, too, is lost in the rage against age - our common human foe. I'd best not read what I said 7 years back!

[Lizanne]

A beautiful writing of growing old and losing your companion to the sad world of dementia. How sad the days are for both of them. The one in dementia will sometimes ralley and feel the great sense of lose and of confusion as to why things are this way. Sad that the medical staff often turn into stone towards the emotions of others. But in the end your hero came to the rescue of his beloved. Their souls probably held hands as they left that place and walked back into their once healthy and loving past to bid goodbye to those times and start their new journey into eternity with each other. You have written a wonderful story in verse form. A highly skillful pen is wielded by this poetic writer.

[Rick Puetter]

Dear David,

This is a touching, moving poem. Anyone familiar with dealing with aging loved ones can relate. The separation is horrific. If combined with unfeeling care it can cause boiling rage to come to the surface. The feeling of being impotent is such a unimaginable feeling. Violent behavior easily follows as the feeling is there is nothing to lose.

You've written a powerful piece. My congratulations. Extremely well done.

Best regards,

Rick

[Ellen Hammond]

Having worked in homes, where I saw so many of the staff like those you mentioned, my heart ached for those who were separated from their lifelong partners as they felt abandoned. You have a gift of being able to identify with others and telling their story. It was sad but also made me laugh as I pictured Karl's rampage. It made this write a delightful read.

[Valentine]

Read this on another site..your writing and thoughgts continue to amaze me..I wish I had your vivid memory..years of seizures caused me to lose so much of what I had inside of my brain..love you work as you well know..love and God bless Lyn and you..Kathie

[R J Askew]

A great job. The history big and personal pulls us in all kinds of directionss. We hate the tigers and how they were and what they did. We think how kind we victors were to let an enemy live the rest of his life in peace among us. And then we become the monsters when the former enemy is enfeebled in his dotage after living a civil and normal life among us, sans the hated uniform and system. But then the health system becomes the new regime. How this strikes home for all who will find themselves in its clutches. Ach, the young vs the growing army of 'problematic' i.e. costly old folk. It does not take too much imagination to foresee camps for poor elderly folk ... perhaps pauper British folk will be sent to cheap homes in Bulgaria or somewhere in a couple of decades. What new horrors await us?

[cest la vie]

Emma,
As I was reading this reminded me of a wonderful movie I saw. "Iris" ( Dame Judi Dench portraying novelist Iris Mudoch). When lifelong partners are lost to one another due to the minds fog, it is a heartbreaking even to watch. You represented this situation beautifully. His tragic death really made me weep.. Wonderful poem Emma.

Lynne

[Mark]

I can identify with this poem in such a personal way, David. My grandmother escaped her untenable life years before her death, preferring to live in the lives of her novels' protagonists. Though she was never sent away, she went away. Important too to note that, despite all the hateful, hurtful things Karl did in the name of the Reich, his last thought and his final acts were of and for love.

[emmajoy]

Magnificent! I can't say more, it's really reached inside me.

[Ferg]

David-
This is my favorite of all your poems. Truest and deepest love depicted in a wonderfully moving narrative. It is tender and real and written so well! Love it!

[Lena M. P.]

Beautiful sentiment. Brought tears to my eyes. I remember when my parents were separated that way. My father would call home (they never forget numbers have you noticed) and would tell mom she had deserted him. Mom would get a taxi and go get him and bring him home then call us when she couldn't get him off the floor or he had wondered off. He was also notorious for running over peoples feet with his motorized chair so we were forced to get him one that had to be pushed. I remember going to see him one day and he and I went "fishing". When I said I had to leave he asked if I was going to take some of the fish home. He never really knew who I was but we shared a great day together and never left his room It's sad to get that old and you my friend hit it on the head with your poem. These brave souls fought such hard wars in their lives to end up like your poem. I really enjoyed it.