Soldier

when they first came to your school cafeteria
setting up tables and folding chairs
while all around you the children sat squawking
you were impatient to see what they had to share

you were impressed with their pamphlets tri-folded
with bullet point lists of the ways you could go
offering chances to be part of legends
you never thought you would be able to

Soldier

your grandpa died from a german man's courage
to do what he thought was right
and downwards he fell towards the mud like an extra
in the background of a movie set

well you packed your bags gave a kiss to your mother
and walked out the door with a world on your shoulder
you traded your hands for grenades and machine guns
and boy you sung your battle cry so low

mama mama can't you see
what the army's done to me
I used to date a beauty queen
and now I hug my M16
mama mama can't you see
they've made a Soldier out of me

Soldier
Soldier
Soldier

I know there are papers at the post office
neatly arranged in a bin labeled draft forms
and as I walk by them they scream and they're snarling
threatening to take the man I love
a boy