ballade of victory

who wants to echo the most moral sigh
of those who in the morning fade away
without a chance of hearing the reply
as all the darkness slowly becomes grey
another silence earns its proper pay
in shaping what we do not care to know
of all the forms that nature might bestow
upon the places where we might reside
whether from high above or down below
this world is where we bury all our pride

too many fools have listened to the lie
and thought the hardest task was simple play
their faces now are hidden from the sky
and they cannot their horror now betray
who have been taken out of human way
we in our turn have many miles to go
beside the river that won't cease its flow
there is no place to run and none to hide
we have no chance to escape hungry crow
this world is where we bury all our pride

an idiot might sometime dignify
all means by which the many go astray
but such things do not please the aging eye
of those who have seen many a bitter day
and understand the meaning of each ray
of failing light which no one could forgo
as dying millions wait the killing blow
and high above the lazy vultures glide
no footprints are left in the sand or snow
this world is where we bury all our pride

prince in your face we've seen the final glow
of nuclear light and seen the dead chateaux
palaces barracks cities none abide
all order now has met its overthrow
the highest honour has fallen most low
this world is where we bury all our pride