grasping at shadows

no saintly rule over plain human folk
we have been governed by such fools and liars
whose pleasant voices singing in their choirs
disguise the fact that we're under a yoke
we bend our necks and wait the killing stroke
watch useless bodies cast onto the byres
and lives destroyed out of old vain desires
our hopes were full but now we all are broke
there is a shadow over every leaf
all work seems fated to fade and decay
and all our efforts may have been in vain
but still we have to overcome our grief
renew our pledges and restore the way
and hope for some revival in the rain