Song From a Soldier's Child

"Don't go away, don't let them take you away!"

His son bent down and cried

"Don't go away, Daddy, don't go away!"

Looking him right in the eyes

"Don't go away, no, don't go away…

My only wish is that you'd stay...

My only wish is that you'd stay!"

Well the gun on his shoulder's held ready and loaded,

With each shiny bullet reflecting the life of another man

But still, "march on" is the command

So he follows his orders while, grasping his photos

Where his son and his daughter smile brightly beside his beloved wife

Wishing he was home sitting right by their side

Right by their side, right by their side

Well weeks and months gone by, and his gun's still on his shoulder

But today in the mail, a card from his daughter saying: "Daddy, I'm six today!

And I wanted to say I love you- big brother, he says he loves you and mommy says she loves you, too.

And daddy, I wish you were here!

Daddy, I wish you were here!"

Then down at the bottom hand

Some scribbles written saying,

"Well Daddy, I know that I'm young, but I just don't understand, why must things be this way?

Be this way, be this way, be this way?

They made you a soldier, they took you away

Trained you with weapons, which destruct as they spray

All of this leaving me confused today-

So confused today"

Well night has now rolled on through,

But he gets out his notebook and, by starlight

He pours out his heart to his wife at home

Writing these words, expressing these words, crying these words:

"This fight is expensive, friendship would be free

My soul has been torn screaming 'please let me be!'

My dreams are now nightmares of things I have seen

And the orders of generals, and all of their schemes…"

They say… This is what they say…

"We must win this fight, this is our enemy!"

But when I look in their face and see people like me

And when I hold up my gun to do what they say

I see his face across the way and he's screaming,

Yea, he's screaming,

"I surrender, yea I surrender!

I've got two kids of my own!

Yea I surrender, yea I surrender!

I've love my wife back home!

Yea I surrender, I surrender!

I've seen too many go!

Yea I surrender, yea I surrender!

I beg you to spare my soul!

Yea I beg you to spare my soul!

I beg you to spare my soul"

On the other side of the card were some words

Written for his kids saying,

"Daddy'll be home soon, and I'm gonna be just fine…

Just fine, just fine, just fine, just fine,

Just know that I love and miss you,

Just know that I love and miss you,

And I can't wait to see you soon"