Soldier

when they first came to your school cafeteria
 setting up tables and folding chairs
 while all around you the children sat squawking
 you were impatient to see what they had to share
 you were impressed with their pamphlets tri-folded
 with bullet point lists of the ways you could go
 offering chances to be part of legends
 you never thought you would be able to
 Soldier
 your grandpa died from a german man's courage
 to do what he thought was right
 and downwards he fell towards the mud like an extra
 in the background of a movie set
 well you packed your bags gave a kiss to your mother
 and walked out the door with a world on your shoulder
 you traded your hands for grenades and machine guns
 and boy you sung your battle cry so low
 mama mama can't you see
 what the army's done to me
 I used to date a beauty queen
 and now I hug my M16
 mama mama can't you see
 they've made a Soldier out of me
 Soldier
 Soldier
 Soldier
 I know there are papers at the post office
 neatly arranged in a bin labeled draft forms
 and as I walk by them they scream and they're snarling
 threatening to take the man I love
 a boy