he steps out of the shabby cabin that he'd built himself to spend the nights the night was cold, the roof was leaking now he's squinting up the pale, dim sky once upon a time he lived in freedom once upon a time he lived in peace he'd lost his grandson in the minefield the kid ignored all bans and signs dad had fallen in the first offensive he'll never know, so that's just fine the war is over, the guns have spoken men in power lay down the law the war is over, each promise broken disheartened people clutch at straws a cripple crawls across the dirt yard to reach his favourite begging spot families queue up at soup kitchens for a serving from the pot once upon a time he lived in freedom once upon a time he lived in peace he cannot understand the reasons why he alone should have survived the only answer he's come up with that it's a cynic joke, called life the war is over, the guns have spoken men in power lay down the law the war is over, each promise broken disheartened people clutch at straws