WHERE THE RIVER DIVIDES

OFF TO WAR I GO,
MY COUNTRY CALLS 
AND I ANSWER, AS THE BELL TOLLS. 

LEAVING BEHIND IS MY TEENAGE LOVE, 
HER SADDEN GAZE PIERCING MY HEART 
AS I WAVE GOODBYE SHE BEGINS TO CRY 
EVERYTHING INSIDE OF ME DIES. 

I AM JUST A LAD, NINETEEN YEARS OLD, 
FOR LOVE OF COUNTRY 
I WILL SURRENDER MY SOUL. 

A SMILE SHADOWS THE FEAR I SUPPRESS,
AS I RECALL HER SMILING FACE 
IN HER WEDDING DRESS. 

WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL BECOME OF ME
AS I FACE THE ARROWS OF MY ENEMIES, 
BUT THAT’S THE LAST THING ON MY MIND 
FOR THE LOVE OF MY LIFE
IS LEFT BEHIND.

WILFORD BARKER.