I felt the tinge of pain quickly grow, as I rightfully deserved.
I cared not for his words of conciliation.
This innocent man, this one right before me,
I had destroyed his whole world.

I distinctly remember, far back in 43’s shivering November
When I had first met the small klutz.
He had eyes that were amber, and hair of almond tint.
Distinctly I remember following December.

As Standartenführer, I had a duty.
That duty was not to fool around.
I tried to ignore him, he’d just cling more to me.
The more time we spent, the closer we’d get,
The more he would eventually have wept.

He had confessed he loved me,
Around mid December
It was by his favorite tree,
One covered with green,
One inside of his hometown in Italy.

I slept nothing that night, pondering his words.
Love me?
Yeah, right, that’s absurd!
I had done nothing to earn this man’s love.
The worst of it all, perhaps, I recall,
Was thinking that maybe I loved him too.

Ah, the worst was not that!
The worst, was in fact,
That I was in Waffen SS.

My cerulean eyes,
My pale, Caucasian skin,
Even my slicked back blonde hair.
A perfect example of the Aryan race.
I was the role model to behold!

Not that I was proud, I didn’t agree, not one bit
With the leader of my sweet Germany.
I simply wanted to stand by my country.

My little Italian,
Short, stout, and brilliant,
Shone bright like a diamond.
His voice was sweetened, like honey.
“You’re a good man, don’t hurt people, Luddy!”
His voice was even sweeter than honey.

That night I had robbed him of something important,
His ignorance to the evils around him.
We did what adults did when they were in love.
And in the morning I left while he slumbered still sweetly,
After he’d pleaded, “Don’t leave me.”

I went back home after traveling Rome,
My, my sweet station in Italia!
For a month, we truly loved,
That’s more than others can say.
Perhaps this is why I bleakly remember that warm, sad December day.