Dear Ivan

(His Truth is marching on)

To Ivan Kovanovich, USSR

Dear Ivan
You don't know me and I don't know you
But I sure would like to meet you

Yes sir, I'd like to walk up and shake your hand
Look you straight in the eye
And tell you that I haven't got one thing in this world against you

I know that the heads of our government
Seem to have problems gettin' together to talk things over

But I got a feeling if you and I could just sit down and talk
Not as representatives of anybody's government but just
Two plain ordinary human beings
I feel that we might think a great deal alike

I'm an entertainer now, Ivan
I used to be a farmer just like you
I got a wife and three kids
And this may sound a little unpatriotic
But to me
These are more important than the heads of anybody's government

A few years back, you and I both left the farm
And we put on a uniform
And we were on the same side of the fence, you and me, Ivan

And you know
I can't help but believe that
We're still on the same side of the fence
That we would both like to see a world united in peace

I'll tell you something, Ivan
I love my land very much
Oh, we got some of the prettiest mountains and trees
And rivers and valleys that you've ever laid eyes on
And I'm sure that you feel the same way about your country

And I know that neither one of us
Would like to see the face of our countries blackened
By the hot breath of anybody's bomb
You know, they tell me that over there, you don't believe in a God

But though I've never met ya
I can't help but believe
That a man who's stood on a crisp fall morning and
Watched the sun rise over his farmland or
He's planted a small grain of corn zand seen it grow out of the fertile soil
Or better than that, Ivan
Held your own baby in your arms

I know that you know
That there's a God up there
Watching over each and every one of us

Ivan, when I put my babies to bed tonight
I'm gonna say a prayer for you and yours
And if you in your own way
Will say a prayer for me and mine
And maybe we can talk our neighbors into doing the same thing

This will be more powerful than any conference held over
Any conference table anywhere in the whole wide world

And then maybe we can live as God intended
Peacefully, together

Yours truly
Jimmy Dean, USA