Soldier

In a station in the city a British soldier stood

Talking to the people there if the people would

Some just stared in hatred, and others turned in pain

And the lonely British soldier wished he was back home again

Come join the British Army! said the posters in his town

See the world and have your fun, come serve before the Crown

The jobs were hard to come by and he could not face the dole

So he took his country's shilling and enlisted on the roll

For there was no fear of fighting, the Empire long was lost

Just ten years in the army getting paid for being bossed

Then leave a man experienced a man who's made the grade

A medal and a pension, some mem'ries and a trade

Then came the call to Ireland as the call had came before

Another bloody chapter in an endless civil war

The priests they stood on both sides the priests they stood behind

Another fight in Jesus's name the blind against the blind

The soldier stood between them, between the whistling stones

And then the broken bottles that led to broken bones

The petrol bombs that burnt his hands the nails that pierced his skin

And now wished that he'd stayed at home surrounded by his kin

The station filled with people the soldier soon was bored

But better in the station than where the people warred

The room filled up with mothers with daughters and with sons

Who stared with itchy fingers at the soldier and his gun

A yell of fear a screech of brakes the shattering of glass

The window of the station broke to let the package pass

A scream came from the mothers as they ran towards the door

Dragging children crying from the bomb upon the floor

The soldier stood and could not move his gun he could not use

He knew the bomb had seconds and not minutes on the fuse

He could not run to pick it up and throw it in the street

There were far too many people there, too many running feet

Take cover! yelled the soldier, Take cover for your lives

And the Irishmen threw down their young and stood before their wives

They turned towards the soldier, their eyes alive with fear

For God's sake save our children or they'll end their short lives here

The soldier moved towards the bomb his stomach like a stone

Why was this his battle God why was he alone

He lay down on the package and he murmured one farewell

To those at home in England to those he loved so well

He saw the sights of summer felt the wind upon his brow

The young girls in the city parks how precious were they now

The soaring of the swallow the beauty of the swan

The music of the turning world so soon would it be gone

A muffled soft explosion and the room began to quake

The soldier blown across the floor his blood a crimson lake

They never heard him cry or shout they never heard him moan

And they turned their children's faces from the blood and from the bones

The crowd outside soon gathered and the ambulances came

To carry off the body of a pawn lost to the game

And the crowd they clapped and cheered and they sang their rebel songs

One soldier less to interfere where he did not belong

But will the children growing up learn at their mothers' knees

The story of that soldier who bought their liberty

Who used his youthful body as a means towards the end

Who gave his life to those who called him murderer not friend