Lover's Goodbye to a Departing Soldier

How pitiful we are, my love. How helpless against a world gone mad, with strife, struggle, selfishness and hate. How weak we are, my love. Trampled beneath powers unknown to our hearts and minds. How useless by our toil, my love, Fighting to hold back such powers with our small hands and hopes. Let us cease our struggle, my love. 'Tis to no avail. For we have been dragged to the feet of fate. Ordered into the bloody fray. Commanded to hush the hideous drums that rock the earth's foundation. Go from me, my love, Go from the scene of your happy childhood. Your happy, madcap, carefree childhood. Ah, yes, remember such freedom. Go from the cities you have learned to love. Such tranquility in their hubbub, Such peace in their turmoil. Ah yes, remember such peace. Say au revoir, not goodbye, as the lady of our hearts fades from your view. She will be waiting, As I shall be waiting to clasp you when you return. Leave me, my love. Leave sun and moon and wind and rain and hope and life behind. Tread into darkness, oblivion, blindly, Walk with tragedy by your side. Fight, my love. Kill and laugh as though kill more, Lest though be killed first. Hear not screams of pain and agony. See not ground run red with gore. Feel no remorse as thou destroy, For this is a game of destruction and slaughter. But keep me not in your heart and mind. Fill them with justice and liberty. Leave no room for me. Destroy thou must, But though shalt be a saviour. Lift up the bowed head of the tired soldier to point out the sun of freedom, shining into his frightened eyes through the clearing battle smoke. Give back, with hysterical gaiety what has been stolen so treacherously. Make the winds of liberty blow strongly O'er green field and heather. Make all men free, as we are free. But leave no room in your heart for me. Fill it with justice and liberty, And leave me here to wait for thee. But come back to me, my love. Not as you stand before me now. But half gone, half dead, half departed. If body sound, thought and mind contorted. Return my love. I ask not all of you, for that shall not be mine again. Come back changed, unrecognizable, But, oh my love, Come Back.