Die Liebe Für Alle Leute (The Love For All People)
A "Dr. Strangelove" poem
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I just came up with this "open poem" for the "Dr. Strangelove" fandom, told from the perspective of the Gut Doktor himself.
A lot of this poem ties in to my in-progress fanfiction, "The Memoirs Of Dr. Strangelove", especially because it shows the doctor in a sympathetic light (i.e., makes him seem less sinister or creepy to those who regard him as such) & paints a picture of the character as a kind, sincere, good-hearted, decent, noble man who seeks inner salvation for his past affiliations with the Nazis (which haunt him greatly, especially because their ideology went against much of his own personal beliefs) & truly wants to help the people of the world, not hurt them.
But, unfortunately, it's hard for many folks to recognize Dr. Strangelove's true personality when they see the ex-Nazi standing--er, sitting--in front of them, acting all calm & cool & collected. Poor, misunderstood fellow...
And now, for a brief copyright & disclaimer:
All "Dr. Strangelove" characters, properties, & elements (C) Stanley Kubrick & Columbia Pictures.
The above poem (C) The Mouse Avenger (that's me). I kindly ask that you please don't swipe it or use it without permission...'cause if you do, I'll go barracuda on you!
When you're finished reading, please be sure to leave feedback when you're done. I'll take anything from comments to constructive criticism, as long as they're not flames or delivered in an overly-harsh, stern, or mercilessly-nitpicky manner.
Enjoy the poem!
Leery faces looking at me with cold expressions,
Haggard eyes regarding me with suspicion
They just don't seem to trust anything in this day & age,
Much less myself
I knew that when I came here,
Some people would not feel comfortable
In the company of an ex-Nazi
And I can understand why they would feel that way
I empathize!
But at the same time, I wish they would understand
When I try to tell them
That I was not a true follower of Hitler,
Despite what they may think of me,
How they view me in their eyes
I never really cared for the Nazis' ideals
Or their radical, racist, bigoted beliefs
I only joined the Nazis' ranks because I felt it would
Somehow spare me from harm of any kind
Brought on by that wicked "Fuhrer" & all his ilk
The "Seig Heil" was done with insincerity
When book-burnings & Kristalnacht were carried out, I turned my gaze away,
Tried not to watch as the innocent victims of hatred
Were brutally punished for crimes they did not commit,
Other than simply being who they were!
All anti-Semitic or anti-whatever discussions,
I did my best to refrain from joining
The "Final Solution", I did not approve of,
And had I the choice, I would have spoken out against it
I never took part in any killings, nor did I want to!
I only helped the Nazis with weapon design & other things
That required the use of my "brilliant, intelligent mind"
If anyone was killed as a result of what I helped the Nazis make,
I offer my condolences, I share some of the blame,
But that's why I came to America--
To find a better way of living, to change my life, to clear my name!
Yet some people thought I was just playing games,
Telling lies to save my face
But Lady Liberty held not the key to saving face!
Ah, she held the key to inner salvation,
She was my saving grace!
The years have passed since I fled that war-torn land, my home of yore,
And found new shelter on American shores,
But many still regard me with suspicion & cold gazes,
Deeming me not to be trusted
On account of the past that I wish I could somehow change
But until someone builds a time machine
Or finds a way to alter the past somehow,
We can't go back
We can only move forward
That's what I shall do!
I shall keep going on with my life,
Forget my woes of long ago,
And live for the bright future
That I know will await me
And perhaps, one day, all of creaturekind...
But when will we ever find utopia
As long as the countries of the world are pitched
In battle against one another?
When sisters & brothers
All the world over
Can't learn to get along,
No matter what their race, religion, gender, creed, or social stance may be?
When America, the "land of the free",
Is caught in a tangled web of interwoven bigotry?
When people become so paranoid to the point
Where they cannot trust their fellow citizens,
Good & honest men...like me?