the Jacobson organ
2 tiny pits
nothing to speak of
but such precious bits
the olfactory system
is better by far
and in dogs as a matter
of fact its a star
it gives them the power
the great power of scent
as such when the war dogs
yes when they went
off to Vietnam to the jungles
they could
sense and would smell
much more than we could
a thousand times better
so subtle so keen
they were our 4 legged
protection machine
but they were not machine like
so sensitive they
could smell the Viet cong
way way away
and never were wrong
the German shepherds
they really did know
and as we got to know them
how they moved did show
their handlers really
for what they did do
was sense all the trip wires
when we had no clue
the sounds of the breeze
on the wires they could hear
they would stop sharp and turn
and for us it was clear
we became so attached to our dogs
to our friend
we fed them we slept with them
right till the end
they knew how we ticked
and we also knew
sentry and guards
they were all true
they saved us they dragged us
out of harms way
they became victims
yes night and day
that great sense of smell
and good hearing too
saved many a soldier
lost, very few
handlers
will never forget what their dogs
did for them out there
through swamps and through bogs
up rocky climes through rivers these boys
gave us pure spirit and
brought back the joys
that we all, had forgotten
out there in green hell
with the cong up your arse
and the vilest of smell
so many handlers realized they
were closer with their dogs
and so everyday
the dog and the handler
learned a great deal
learned how to think more
and how to feel
and many of these men
had not before
had any relationship with dogs
they were sure
Vietnam brought down upon them
such stuff
that without their dogs
it would have been rough
such loyalty transferred from canine
to those
wounded and injured
they did juxtapose
they stayed together
till the danger did pass
this was a friendship
it became first class
and when it was over
and the men had to go
their dogs their best friends
what did they know
they were just useless
the army was mad
abandoning everything
it was so sad
dogs were equipment
they didn’t care
they got no medals
nothing to share
just stuck in some pound
to be eaten by those
Vietnamese
or even crows
yes we were upset
frantic as well
leaving our 4 legged buddies in hell
the american government
THEY HAD NO HEART
and we couldn’t do anything
from the start
so many forms no
anyway what does the ministry know
stuck behind desks pushing papers about
they had no idea and if we did shout#
they just said pipe down they are not coming back
that’s when the shit hit the fan
and the flack
we had to take it on board
and just leave
the dogs were heartbroken
our hearts on our sleeve
but we were on orders that was our lot
and came back
and knew most would be for the pot
that’s what they do sadly those souls
forgotten heroes
hanging on poles