I killed a fly

I killed a fly
and laid my weapon next to it
as one lays the weapon of a dead hero
beside his body—the fly
that tried to mount the window
to its top; that was born out of a swamp
to die in a bold effort beyond itself,
and I am the one who brought it to an end.
Tired of the day and with night coming on
I lay my body down beside the fly.

David Ignatoff (* 15. Oktober 1885 in Brussilow im Gouvernement Kiew; † 26. Februar 1954 in New York; auch David Ignatow) war ein russischer jiddischer Schriftsteller und Publizist. Er war einer der Führer der Gruppe Di Yunge in den USA.

(www.wikipedia.org)