The Courier

I am a courier
 Crawling in the dirt
 Toward the front line
 As the crow flies
 A note stashed in my shirt
 From the Prince of Wales
 Far above the field
 With his marshalls
 And their chain-mail
 Their banners taut and high
 I did not ask him what the note said
 He did not offer to explain
 It s not my job to ask the questions
 I m just the courier
 A flare shot leaves a scar
 Burning in the dark
 On my forearms
 Toward the front line
 Then another fifty yards
 Crouching in the trench
 Clutching bayonettes
 A hundred men
 All knee-to-chest
 A hundred marionettes
 I am the string pulled by the sure hand
 Animating what was still
 I am invisible and faithful
 I am a courier
 The Captain breaks the seal
 And quickly reads the note
 On your feet boys
 Make you peace boys
 Pass those letters down
 To this courier
 Guardian of the word
 Hand him all you ve seen
 Hand him all you ve heard
 Hand him all your pearls
 And he ll go back to where he came from
 He will deliver each by hand
 He takes this as a point of honor
 To be a courier