0100, 21 juli 1944 - the last thoughts of Col. Graf von Stauffenberg

0100, 21 juli 1944

"Es lebe unser heiliges Deutschland!"

 - Oberst Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg

 
headlights
illumine the courtyard –

muzzles
point at my face –

the rifle to the right
would fail my inspection.
the squadmen tremble
and stare at
my one eye,
my one hand,
the medals on my chest.
my top buttons are undone –

four will die tonight,
two-thousand tomorrow
[for we have not
betrayed our oath].
fromm will see
that we are given burial
tonight –

tomorrow
is not his.
i know these people.
in the morning
they will strip me
of my medals
and rip me
from my grave,
then cremate my body
like they burn
those they hate
in the ovens
just a few
hours away.
i pray nina
and the children
will remember me
as a good father, 
a good husband,
a good german –

fromm gives the order.
it has been a long day,
time for a long rest.
the ride of the walküre
is over for me –

my body is already cold.
sleep sweetly,
fatherland,
God be with you –