With God on Our Side

It's a movie and the whole world is viewing it
And the popcorn is dreams torn, but we're always chewing it.
(They said) Dishonest by God but the costumes by the devil
And the screenplay is adapted from a book that's embezzled.
This is where I grew up.
This is where I grew proud.
This is where neighbors never say music is too loud.
This is where the streets have no name, but they have history.
This is loss is victory.
Oh my name it ain't nothing; my age it means less.
The country I come from could be like the rest.
I was taught and brought up there, laws to abide
And the land that I live in has God on its side.
I was young; I grew. I could tie my shoe.
I was blind, but I knew that I would always see blue.
Blue seas I see through on the bottom I'll meet you
And when we come up for a breath would you mind if I kiss you?
Childhood came up for the kiss, but it slips its pain in with mist
And the sunny skies came and I missed it,
Vanished and when swept.
Landed we slept in the arms of convenience, blanket obedience.
Now to some of the Americans,
War had its day
And the Civil War too was soon laid away
And the names of our warlords
I was made to memorize.
With guns in their hands, they said,
God's on their side.
I had an undying wish to keep from dying.
I had an untimely hitch keep me from climbing
But I climbed a hitch itself and I tried flying.
I had an uprising in my soul.
The left was fight in the right
And the right was fight in the light
And the light was blind in the night
And the night woke up in tears
When my fingers went to wipe them
They became a poem but to write then
They would have to speak tears in another language
That would take years.
So now as I'm leavin'
I'm weary as Hell
The confusion I'm feelin'
Ain't no tongue can tell
The words fill my head
And fall to the floor
If God's on your side then would you ever need war?