UNDER THE FLAGS OF WAR

THERE'S A CERTAIN SADNESS IT'S CROSSING THE WORLD TONIGHT,
IT'S AS IF THERE WAS A LOT OF LOVE LOST IN THE FLAGS OF WAR.
A YOUNG MAN STANDS STILL, HE STANDS ON THE PLATFORM OF LIFE, WAITING FOR THE NEXT TRAIN - WAITING IN THE HANDS OF CONSCIENCE.

THE TRAIN STOPS - IT'S NINE THIRTY NINE THE CHILD HAS BEEN BORN - WHAT FOR?
MATURITY COMES IN TIME - IN TIME THESE ARE THE TIMES OF WAR.
THE DAYS OF PEACE ARE NUMBERED, JUDGEMENT COMES IN CONCLUSION; THE JOURNEY IS SHORT - NO PUNS INTENDED THESE ARE THE DAYS OF INNOCENCE.

HE STANDS IN THE HANDS OF FATE FIGHTING SOMEONE ELSE'S WAR,
IN DAYS OF DREAMS HE WONDERS "WILL SOMEONE KEEP THE SCORE"?
HE HEARS THE SOUNDS INSIDE HIS HEAD, BELIEVES IN ANGELS
"ARE THERE ANY HOLY DEAD"?
LISTENS TO THE CRYING CHILDREN - IN THE DISTANCE HEARS
"SON YOU'RE UNDER THE FLAGS OF WAR".

IN THE CALLING SECONDS HE REMEMBERS THE WORDS OF A MOTHER TO A SON,
THEY SEEM TO HAVE NO MEANING ANY MORE,
COS' "SON YOU'RE HOLDING THE FLAGS OF WAR".
HE SMELLS THE LOOK OF FEAR,
HE SEES THE SCENT THAT SMELLS SO NEAR,
SOMETHING TELLS HIM NOT TO JUDGE,
"THESE ARE THE DAYS OF WAR".

IN THE SECONDS AHEAD
HE SEES AND UNDERSTANDS THE ANSWER WAS A LIE,
STANDS SO BRAVE - THEN WONDERS WHY!
COS' "THESE ARE THE MINUTES OF WAR".

HE STANDS AND SUDDENLY HE'S FACE-TO-FACE
AND FOR ONE SECOND HE RECOGNISES THE FOE,
IN SOUNDS THE SILENCE IS ONE
AND THE LIGHT GOES ON AND ON AND ON,
COS' - "THESE ARE THE SECONDS OF WAR".

IN THE COLOURS HE SEES A MYSTERY LINE,
THE LIFE PASSES BACK TO THE CHILD OF EVERMORE,
A SOUL CROSSES BACK IN ANOTHER TIME,
"THESE ARE THE REALITIES OF WAR".

K.MICHAEL DIXON
©
29TH MAY 1994