Here Within These Walls

Mother superior:
Outside, life's a mess.
No one's pure of spirit any longer.
There's no wrong or right,
Just wrong and wronger.
People have amused themselves
To death.
Outside, life is grim.
Filled with smut and scandal
To the brim.
I suppose there may be room
For him -
Frankly, i don't plan to hold
My breath.

But here within these walls,
Days are filled with grace.
God is in his place,
His wisdom still respected.
Here within these walls,
Life has a different pace
From life beyond our doors.
And for what it's worth,
This life's now yours!

Outside all is vice.
People now are absolutely shameless.
Most, including those who shall
Be nameless.
Hardly seem to know or even care.
Outside, all is sin.
And i won't have the outside
Coming in.
Trust me, it's a battle you
Won't win -
Frankly, dear, you haven't got
A prayer.

Here within these walls,
Life is sweet and good.
Faith is understood,
And selfishness rejected.
Work, prayer, and sisterhood
Are what life's built upon.
That's how it will stay,
Or else you're gone!

So put aside your gluttony!
Put aside your pride!
As for carnal lust,
You need a break, i trust.
Put it all aside!
Put aside interperance!
Profanity as well!
Put aside each remnant
Of your former worldly shell.

Mother superior/nuns:
Here within these walls, (ave)
All is stripped away.
Surrender and obey, (maria)
That's all that is expected.
Here within these walls, (gratia)
All else is kept at bay.
Through the world may go astray, (plena)
Here etenal truths hold sway.

Here within these walls, (salve regina)
Life is truly blessed! (mater misericordiae)
Here you're god's own guest (vita, dulcedo)
Celestially protected.(et spes nostra salve).
Here within these walls,
All's for the very best,
And always shall be thus
And if heaven's will be done,
Here she'll just be one more nun, (salve regina)
Safe within these walls as one of us!
(salve, salve, amen.)