THEY GAVE THEIR LIVES

They gave their lives for us
They let the enemy steal them
When a head hangs low
They're dragging through the mud

Surrounded by pain and the cries
Of soldiers, friends, fathers and men
Could we take back the land?
Give them a hand?
Nobody thinking just of themselves

Fall into the trench glad just to be alive
A soldier screams that another has died
Tears fill his eyes as the mud fills his boots
I wish they were seen as much more than troops

They are people, not targets
Anger, melancholy shows on their faces
Carry a friend but they're halfway gone
It starts again and they must take their places

Line up to march, line up to die
When explosions begin it is now their time

A soldier drops to the ground
Screams out loud
For the sirens to stop
For the gunshots to stop
On his knees in the mud
He has just given up

Carrying more than the weapons
There's more than a backpack on his shoulders
It's the fate of the country
The courage of his people
And he knows in time he will win

Falling, weeping, and screaming in time
With the bullets the wounded don't even cry
But sit there alone and ashamed
Thinking they failed, that they didn't serve us well
But they did more than they could
And took pride in their fight
They gave their all
They gave their lives

9/12/98