Within neutral waters Our sub quickly dives; We barely care What’s up in the air - But if hunters spot us, The sirens alert us - We run for our lives! Come save our dying souls! We’re now up the poles! Our SOS is fading, It’s hard to breathe... Wish help were near here, Alas, they cannot hear, And gelid claws of fear Our souls squeeze... Aortas will tear - Too deep are we caught; Black balls everywhere Block us down there; All passages closed - To death we’re exposed From starboard and port! Come save our dying souls! We’re now up the poles! Our SOS is fading, It’s hard to breathe... Wish help were near here, Alas, they cannot hear, And gelid claws of fear Our souls squeeze... Nobody can capture Us under the sea; And ordered the captain: “This course must be kept on We can’t surface now Since mines are around - We aren’t dopes, are we?” Come save our dying souls! We’re now up the poles! Our SOS is fading, It’s hard to breathe... Wish help were near here, Alas, they cannot hear, And gelid claws of fear Our souls squeeze... We’ll surface tomorrow - The order is passed. We feel no horror To be beaten hollow - We just serve the country, We can’t breathe, we can’t brea... But don’t forget us! Come save our dying souls! We’re now up the poles! Our SOS is fading, It’s hard to breathe... Wish help were near here, Alas, they cannot hear, And gelid claws of fear Our souls squeeze... We got to the surface - But got into hell! We see where the wharf is, We’re restless and nervous; The hopes are ending, the upshot’s impending, Ahead we are sending, Ourselves, like a shell! Come save our dying souls! We’re now up the poles! Our SOS is fading, It’s hard to breathe... Wish help were near here, Alas, they cannot hear, And gelid claws of fear Our souls squeeze...
© George Tokarev. Translation, 2001
Edited by Robert Titterton