25 Hour Watch

For one long moment more I gaze upon
The wretched scene:
One Nation at war, and at its sullied height
The power machine
From some great distance deep within
A scream begins to build
For all our lives we’ve breathed this storm
We now are overfilled!
‘LOOK!’ I bellow deep into
The frightened masses’ core
‘Our real enemies use our energies
To fuel their war!
Our great country is divided
And as every great fool knows
A country divided cannot stand
If any strong wind blows
LOOK atop our mountain
See for yourself the tempest’s cause!
The power machine is wringing out
Our life-blood in its jaws!’
One by one, they begin to hear, and look
And then to see
And as they do, they understand at last
They are not free
‘Our lives, our energies and rights
Their storm helps them to steal…
But it has grown so vast!’ they say, and then,
‘How can we heal?’
I say, ‘Open up your mouths,
Let your voices, too, be heard
What rights have been taken from you?
What crimes have you endured?
The power in this country to the People
Once belonged
Let your voices, too, be heard
You know, somehow, that we’ve been wronged
Climb with us up the mountain’s side
On its ugly, muddy form
We need you now as never before
Help us stop the storm!’