When the plane dived and the machine gun spattered
The deck, in his numb clutch the tugging wheel
Bucked madly as he strove to keep the keel
Zig-zagging, that was all that mattered....
To keep the ship zig-zagging endlessly,
Dodging that diving devil. Now again
The bullets spattered like a squall of rain
About him; and again with desperate grip
He tugged to port the helm... the keep the ship
Zig-zagging.... Zagging through eternity;
To keep the ship ...... a sudden scalding pain
Shot through his shoulder and the whole sky shattered
About him in red fire; and yet his grip
Tightened upon the wheel... to keep the ship
Zig....zig... zig-zagging, that was all that mattered.