The Veteran

I saw the echo of a thousand wars
In the face of the man
As he looked out over the watching crowd
Searching for a friend
Sometimes he would see a face
But then each face looks the same
Like looking into a mirror
And reading a different name
A different name ...

He learned his lesson early
A confirmation under fire
Now his eyes stare into the distance
Like a prisoner bеhind the wire
We arе lucky in our fortune
We can turn the other way
But the veteran fights again at night
And struggles through the day
Through the day ...

When you sing do you sing for the man who's broken
Do you sing for the man who stands alone
Do you sing for the endless list of names
Etched in marble stone
Etched in marble stone

He came back an addict
He came back a drunk
He came back a cripple
Or pieces in a trunk
He came back a hero
To a waving flag parade
He was left with nothing
When the glory began to fade
Began to fade ...

So what do you say to the veteran
Who can't take it anymore
You guard your words, you hold it back
And talk of anything but the war
Just reach out over the distance
And let him know you're there
And hope he hasn't gone too far
Or forgotten how to care
How to care ...

When you sing do you sing for the man who's broken
Do you sing for the man who stands alone
Do you sing for the endless list of names
Etched in marble stone
Etched in marble stone