Officer

Well, you were Davids father

and he was your only son

and the new cut peats a-rotting

and the work is left undone

Because an old man is weeping

and old man in pain

for David, his son David

that will not come again

Oh, the letters he wrote you

I can see them still

not a word of the fighting

just the sheep on the hill

and how you should get

the crops in

´ere the year gets stormier

and the bosh have got his body

and I was his officer

Well, you were only Davids father

but I had fifty sons

when we went up in the evening

under the arch of the guns

and we came back at twilight

oh God I heard them call

to me for help and pity

that I could not help at all

Oh never will I forget you

my men that trusted me

more my sons than your fathers

for they could only see

the little helpless babies

and the young men in their pride

they could not see you dying

and hold as you died

happy, young and gallant

they saw their first born go

but not strong limbs broken

and the beautiful men brought low

the pitious writhing bodies

they screamed "Don't leave me, Sir!"

for they were only your fathers

but I was your officer