What Did You Do In The War, Dad?

Dad, what did you do in the war?
Something to answer for?
You say too young I am to know.

Dad, I've heard you cry at night
Mournful and desperate plight
Where did you learn that song you sing.

"War is in me! I was the war!
And your prying brings back the suffering
No, please, don't start to cry
I only pray you'll never know
Things I see every time I close my eyes
Angels still have faces".

What did you do in the war, dad, tell me
Why can't you smile when the children sing
Did the wages of war cut your soaring wings
And your soul is now torn, unlike mine
Do you fear yesterday will in someway
Define the life of your child?

Dad, I know what you did in the war
Deeds devils would abhor
Did you fulfill the oath you swore?

Dad, did you do it for me?
Their blood for my life to live
In the hollow without reprieve, without you.

"War is in me! I am the war!
Don't you force me to live the nightmare again!
I'm sorry
Please, don't make me cry
My son, you never ever want to know
How when guarding your sleep serene I hear
The silence of the children who sang".

Far and beyond the stars there's
A place where all the love,
All the goodness we could have still resides
But we choose life away from the light
You can find ghosts of loss in the gaze of your
Beautiful child.