He held his boy to his heart
To hide him from his sins
To cover him from bombs
That crept to close to home

He gave his boy a blanket
To wrap him in some warmth
To shield him from the chilly winds
That whispered in the night

He brought his boy a necklace
To tuck beneath his shirt
To remind him of a family
That soon might be forgotten

He let his boy go
To take away his blanket
To give his boy a gun
That he would use in coming days

As the sun began to rise
And the drums started up
He pushed his boy to the door
So he could see the morning sun

And as the drums thrummed louder
And the moon fell below
He pointed to the horizon
To where his boy would go