How Do You Make A Peace Sign On Face

An elastic tanks against its own nerve

have a new Starting with Erich Fried's novel A soldier and a girl started. It found this beautiful phrase:

only one kind of elastic tanks against his own nerves. (P. 9)

Again, the whole thing in a broader context:

But an hour or two later, but then I stand next to him. He sits and hums. Not unpleasant, maybe a little thick, but this is often a kind of elastic tanks against his own nerves. Humming a song that I have over the years is no longer in England.