Mr. Shepherd’s Bandage

Oh, a million miles an hour, a thousand times a night
I watch them burn red, Red rockets in my sight
1944, Second World War
At Ansio, we kicked in Mussolini's door
That's when it came. German steel, Italian rain
Ripped razors through my leg and sent me back home
Opened up my eyes, lovely VA nurse
Said Mr Shepherd, you made it through the worst
But she don't know what she means, 'cause she ain't seen what I've seen
The worst gets worse every night in every dream
Hot rockets hiss, hard violence, soft prom night kiss
The first eighteen years add up to this
Whispered on the rockets' hiss
It goes on and on
Seems like a thousand years fell down, down on him
A thousand fears ground down all around him
Jagged edge gone soft with time
And Mr. Shepherd's just fine
At least that's what we believe 'cause we don't want to see
He's still laid bare to the bone below his knee
Here he comes again. I recognize his walk
Sit right there Mr. Shepherd, please don't talk
While cotton gauze still running red without a pause
While everyone forgets the cause
Of the horror there beneath the gauze
That goes on and on
For Mr. Shepherd