| INGLESE / ENGLISH / ANGLAIS [4] - James Prescott
|
THE DESERTER | THE DESERTER |
| |
Mr. President | Your Majesty the King, |
I'm writing you a letter | I'm writing you a letter, |
that perhaps you will read | Though you might hear me better, |
If you have the time. | if you could hear me sing. |
I've just received | There just came through my door, |
my call-up papers | my army papers warning, |
to leave for the front | We leave on Monday morning, |
Before Wednesday night. | we march away to war. |
Mr. President | Well, I don't fit your plan, |
I do not want to go | I must refuse the shilling, |
I am not on this earth | For I'm no longer willing |
to kill wretched people. | to kill my fellow man. |
It's not to make you mad | Your Majesty, I say, |
I must tell you | with due consideration, |
my decision is made | It's my determination, |
I am going to desert. | I will desert today. |
| |
Since I was born | I've seen my father die, |
I have seen my father die | I've seen my sisters grieving, |
I have seen my brothers leave | My older brothers leaving, |
and my children cry. | my younger brothers cry. |
My mother has suffered so, | My mother knew such wrongs, |
that she is in her grave | she lies beneath her tombstone, |
and she laughs at the bombs | She cares no more for tombstones, |
and she laughs at the worms. | she cares no more for songs. |
When I was a prisoner | While I was in the hole, |
they stole my wife | they stole away my good wife, |
they stole my soul | They stole away my good life, |
and all my dear past. | they stole away my soul. |
Early tomorrow morning | So now I'll slam my door, |
I will shut my door | on all those years of sorrow, |
on these dead years | And starting from tomorrow, |
I will take to the road. | I'll sleep at home no more. |
| |
I will beg my way along | I'm off to beg my way, |
on the roads of France | to tramp the roads and islands, |
from Brittany to Provence | From Cornwall to the Highlands, |
and I will cry out to the people: | and this is what I'll say: |
Refuse to obey | "Refuse to go to war, |
refuse to do it | refuse to cross the borders, |
don't go to war | Refuse to obey orders, |
refuse to go. | desert and fight no more." |
If blood must be given | If blood must flow this spring, |
go give your own | why don't you give a sample? |
you are a good apostle | You'd be a fine example, |
Mr. President. | Your Majesty the King. |
If you go after me | If you would hunt me down, |
warn your police | tell Tom and Dick and Harry, |
that I'll be unarmed | No weapon will I carry, |
and that they can shoot. | and they may gun me down. |