I am "YAK," The jet fighter, My motor rings. The sky is my inhabitation. But the one who sits in me, Thinks that he is a fighter. In the last battle the "Yunkers" was hit by me, I did with him just what I wanted. But the one who sits in me, Gets on my nerves too often. In this last fight I was injured so much, I was fixed up by the mechanic, But the one who sits in me, Again forces me to panic. From the bombarding plane the bomb carries Death to the airdrome. But it seems that a stabilizer sings: "Peace to your homeland!" Behind me, the "Messershmidt" is coming at me. I ’ll leave, I’m tired of wounds. But the one who sits in me, Has decided to go for the ram! What is he doing? I’m going to explode!.. But I won’t burn on the sand. By overlapping all inhibitions and speeds, I ’m trying to break loose. I’m the leader. Who wants me to burn? Where is he, my air commander? The smoke covered him, he nodded and sang: "Peace to your homeland!" And the one who sat in my skull, Stayed there and got stuck. He drove me into delusion and hell - And let me burn in the sky. No longer shall I be humble, I swear, I’d rather lie on the ground; But he can’t hear the raging of my pulse: The gas is my blood - at zero now. He’s tearing at himself, the whole power load. Big deal, a great pilot of mine! And once again I have to obey, But now for the very last time. There is a limit for a machine’s patience, And his time soon ran out. And the one who sat in me, Suddenly hit the glass. He is killed, I’m happy, I’m flying at ease, Burning up my last strength. But what’s going on? Looks like I’m trapped - There’s no way to break loose! Annoying, that I didn’t get to do much, But let’s someone else get lucky. It seems that I ultimately sang: "Peace to your homeland!"
© Nathan Mer. Translation, 1991