The Wall

Cigarettes and a bottle of beer
This poem that I wrote for you
This black stone and these hard tears
They are all I got left now of you
I remember you in your Marine uniform laughing
Laughing at your shipping out party
I read Robert McNamara says he’s sorry

Yeah you and your boots and black t-shirt
Ah, Billy you looked so bad
Yeah you and your rock and roll band
Was the best thing this shit town ever had
Now the men that put you here
Eat with their families in rich dining halls
And apology and forgiveness got no place here at all
Here at the wall

Well I’m sorry that I missed you last year
I couldn’t find no one to drive me
If your eyes could cut through that black stone
Tell me would they recognize me
For the living time that must be served, life goes on
Cigarettes and a bottle of beer
And skin on a black stone

High school pictures and paper flowers
And these ribbons are red as the blood
As the blood you spilled in the Central Highlands mud
Now limousines rush down Pennsylvania Avenue
As the rain falls
Apology and forgiveness got no place here at all