The Minaret
John Vanderslice
It’s the end of spring
And light hangs on
Dripping over geraniums
And hummingbird wings
In the blaze of summer
We’ll tap our weapons out
To the cadence of a melody
They sang at normandy:
“It won’t be the same again
Emma, just walk away it’s the end”
We crossed on the ridge
And cut their women down
I climbed up on the minaret
And occupied the town
They scattered in the woods
To gather up their strength
Dripping blood on the road
Oh how the animals looked on
They all see how we’ve changed
All the rules of the game
I can see both sides
And it paralyzed me
An eye for an eye
Was a way to limit revenge
We’ve done away with all of that
Oh read how it all begins
It was written years ago
Same names, same war
I can see both sides
And it paralyzed me inside