Poems by Jack Mitchell - General, Dein Tank Ist Ein Starker Wagen

(Bertolt Brecht - translated by Jack Mitchell)

General, Your Tank Is A Tough Truck

General, your tank is a tough truck.
It'll smash down a wood and squash a hundred people.
But it's got one flaw:
It needs a driver.

General, your bomber is strong.
It flies faster than the storm and carries more than an elephant.
But it's got one flaw:
It needs a mechanic.

General, a man has many uses.
He can fly, and he can kill.
But he's got one flaw:
He can think.

[ Translations contents page ]