Like a razor, dawn slashed the eyes, And triggers were opened like "open Sesame." Speak of the devil! Shooters appeared, "Dragonflies" flew up from the rotting river, And the fun started up in full swing, in full swing. We lay on our bellies and hid our fangs. Even he, even he who dove under the flags, Who sensed the wolf holes with his paw pads, Lay down and froze in fear - and weakened.   I haven’t heard that life should smile on wolves. In vain we love life, faithful unto death. And Death has beautiful teeth widely bared, They are healthy, large teeth. So smile your wolfish grins at the enemy, At the hounds with as yet unchewed up haunches. But on the snow tattooed in blood Is your picture: We’re no longer wolves! We crawled with our tails tucked up in dog-speak, Raised tattered muzzles in surprise to the skies. Either it’s a retribution spilled on you from above Or it’s the end of the world - and a twisting of minds. Only they’ve hit you in full from the iron "dragonflies." We got soaked with blood under a rain of lead - We submitted, decided: All the same, we won’t get away! We melted the snow with our burning hot bellies. This slaughter house was born not from God but from Man! Fliers are caught in flight, fleers are caught in running. You dog pack, you can’t mix in with my pack. In an equal mix-up, the luck is with us. We are wolves! Our wolf life is good. You’re dogs, and your death is a dog’s death! We smile our wolfish grins at the enemy, At the hounds with as yet unchewed up haunches. But on the snow tattooed in blood Is your picture: We’re no longer wolves! To the forest! I’ll save at least some of you there! To the forest, wolves! You’re harder to kill on the run! Hey, shake a leg, get a move on! Save the puppies! I scurry and skelter under the eyes of half-drunk shooters, Gathering together the strayed souls of the wolves. The one who’s alive was hidden on that shore. What can I do alone? I can do nothing! My fangs were blunted, my senses betrayed... Where are you, wolves, the former forest beast? Just where are you, my yellow-eyed tribe?! I am living, but beasts surround me now That never knew the calls of the wolves. They’re dogs, our far-distant kin, And we used to take them as our prey. I smile my wolfish grin at the enemy, Bare my rotten stubs of teeth. And on the snow tattooed in blood Is your picture: We’re no longer wolves!
© Bill Everett. Translation, 2002