Trenches

©1977 Andrew Calhoun, recorded on Phoenix Envy

We fought in these trenches when you were a baby
Fought for the love of the noblest cause
We are all tired and soon to be beaten
We have forsaken our ancestors' laws

Many's the morning we wander towards battle
With so many reasons for playing the game
Life looks so short and death so long
We were all comrades when the savage ones came

We must kill everyone that we meet in this forest
We must stampe out every strange camp fire
We are all men, but these claws hang above us
Everyone's out here and killing for hire

If you meet my nephew please tell him to look for me
Ask him if he can remember
For the forest's ablaze and we all need companions
When it comes to the cold of December

At night men fall from the edge of this cliff
Who swear they can see where they're going
And we don't know how to get down to the bottom
Where our women and children are waiting

We'll soon run out of weaponry
We'll soon run out of time
When the sun come up we'll all be ready
To finish our food and our last drop of wine

Our mothers left us our tales and our songs
Our fathers the swords we'll be using
All of our women and children are slaughtered
Now who will forgive us for losing