Empty Jerry Cans Poem by jan oskar hansen

There had been a war; there is always a war someplace,
both the opposing armies ran out of petrol, so they used
animals that could carry supply and weapon on their
backs, donkeys, mules and horses were preferred, they
are more pliant and used to slavery.

Also reindeers were tried, but with limited success,
could only be used in the north, in the Middle East
they keeled over by heat exhaustion and the Zebras
were impossible to tame they refused to be a casualty
of a war they had nothing to do with them.

Now that the war was over, surviving leaders pledged:
No More Wars, horses, mules and donkeys had finally
seen the light, from now on they were only selling their
services for the best hay available; a 35 hours working
week and a good hosing down and rub after work.

Since many of them had perished, there was a worldwide understanding of their plight, they got what they wanted.
When the Zebras complained that the grass on Savannah
was cut and exported as food for the new elite, there was
little pity, however, if they promised to behave more like
horses, some fodder might be available.