Various Positions

How many times did you call me
And i knew it was late
I left everybody
But i never went straight
I don't claim to be guilty
But i do understand
There's a law, there's an arm, there's a hand
There's a law, there's an arm, there's a hand

Now my heart's like a blister
From doing what i do
If the moon has a sister
It's got to be you
I'm going to miss you forever
Tho' it's not what i planned
There's a law, there's an arm, there's a hand
There's a law, there's an arm, there's a hand

Now the deal has been dirty
Since dirty began
I'm not asking for mercy
Not from the man
You just don't ask for mercy
While you're still on the stand
There's a law, there's an arm, there's a hand
There's a law, there's an arm, there's a hand

I don't claim to be guilty
Guilty's too grand
There's a law, there's an arm, there's a hand
There's a law, there's an arm, there's a hand
That's all i can say, baby
That's all i can say
It wasn't for nothing
That they put me away
I fell with my angel
Down the chain of command

There's a law, there's an arm, there's a hand
There's a law, there's an arm, there's a hand
There's a law, there's an arm, there's a hand

Now the captain called me to his bed
He fumbled for my hand
"take these silver bars," he said
"i'm giving you command."
"command of what, there's no one here
There's only you and me --
All the rest are dead or in retreat
Or with the enemy."

"complain, complain, that's all you've done
Ever since we lost
If it's not the crucifixion
Then it's the holocaust."
"may christ have mercy on your soul
For making such a joke
Amid these hearts that burn like coal
And the flesh that rose like smoke."

"i know that you have suffered, lad,
But suffer this awhile:
Whatever makes a soldier sad
Will make a killer smile."
"i'm leaving, captain, i must go
There's blood upon your hand
But tell me, captain, if you know
Of a decent place to stand."

"there is no decent place to stand
In a massacre;
But if a woman take your hand
Go and stand with her."
"i left a wife in tennessee
And a baby in saigon --
I risked my life, but not to hear
Some country-western song."

"ah but if you cannot raise your love
To a very high degree,
Then you're just the man i've been thinking of --
So come and stand with me."
"your standing days are done," i cried,
"you'll rally me no more.
I don't even know what side
We fought on, or what for."

"i'm on the side that's always lost
Against the side of heaven
I'm on the side of snake-eyes tossed
Against the side of seven.
And i've read the bill of human rights
And some of it was true
But there wasn't any burden left
So i'm laying it on you."

Now the captain he was dying
But the captain wasn't hurt
The silver bars were in my hand
Pinned them to my shirt.

I went down to the place
Where i knew she lay waiting
Under the marble and the snow
I said, mother i'm frightened
The thunder and the lightning
I'll never come through this alone
She said, i'll be with you
My shawl wrapped around you
My hand on your head when you go
And the night came on
It was very calm
I wanted the night to go on and on
But she said, go back to the world

We were fighting in egypt
When they signed this agreement
That nobody else had to die
There was this terrible sound
And my father went down
With a terrible wound in his side
He said, try to go on
Take my books, take my gun
Remember, my son, how they lied
And the night comes on
It's very calm
I'd like to pretend that my father was wrong
But you don't want to lie, not to the young

We were locked in this kitchen
I took to religion
And i wondered how long she would stay
I needed so much
To have nothing to touch
I've always been greedy that way
But my son and my daughter
Climbed out of the water
Crying, papa, you promised to play
And they lead me away
To the great surprise
It's papa, don't peek, papa, cover your eyes
And they hide, they hide in the world

Now i look for her always
I'm lost in this calling
I'm tied to the threads of some prayer
Saying, when will she summon me
When will she come to me
What must i do to prepare
When she bends to my longing
Like a willow, like a fountain
She stands in the luminous air
And the night comes on
And it's very calm
I lie in her arms and says, when i'm gone
I'll be yours, yours for a song

Now the crickets are singing
The vesper bells ringing
The cat's curled asleep in his chair
I'll go down to bill's bar
I can make it that far
And i'll see if my friends are still there
Yes, and here's to the few
Who forgive what you do
And the fewer who don't even care
And the night comes on
It's very calm
I want to cross over, i want to go home
But she says, go back, go back to the world