Lyrics

I Have Offered
By Terry Penney
©2014

I’ve hung my head for three long years as this war’s raged on
Every red-blooded boy around here has signed up and gone
And these townspeople’s eyes stab at me like knives
And they whisper, “Isn’t he of age?”
I have offered, please don’t look at me that way

My Brother’s picture is in the parlour, high up on the wall
My Mother’s been a ghost of herself, since he got killed last fall
He looks down on me, makes me want to scream
Brother, if I could , you know I’d take your place
I have offered, please don’t look at me that way

I had a plan, I was going to join up when I turned 17
Until then, there were fishing nets to tend
And one day on a story sea
My hand got caught, my trigger finger lost
It’s somewhere at the bottom of the bay
I have offered, but they won’t look at me this way

I’ve come down to join up again for the seventh time
The recruiting man calls me and as I step up in the line
I say a prayer he won’t see what isn’t there
And he’ll let me join the others in the fray
I have offered, please don’t look at me that way
I have offered, please don’t look at me that way
I’ve hung my head for three long year as this war’s raged on