When I Was Young 1970s

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I saw one journey end and another begin I saw my world changed and in a spin I saw another end - the end of the band I saw John and Yoko hand in hand I saw commandos in the air armed and ready I saw hostages freed in a raid on Entebbe I saw water cannons and tear gas fired I saw ideology and hypocrisy deeply mired I saw five rings of death I remember I saw the Red Brigade, Abu Nidal, Black September I saw valleys and jungles an orange haze turning I saw an orphan child - her skin was burning I saw a man with a guitar - a poet on the stage I saw a rolling thunder upon the earth rage I saw LPs spinning on my AWA Series 9 I saw my vinyl records rock this heart of mine I saw a spring loaded rifle and my eyes grew bigger I saw a BSA Phantom and pulled the trigger I saw a bungled burglary strike a chord I saw a President fall on his sword I saw death squads, the juntas, the persecutions I saw the stadiums and their summary executions I saw in my neighbourhood a serial pest I saw in the Pacific a nuclear test I saw a war on drugs that can never be won I saw the junkies in the streets when it was done I saw a peasant and ox in a glade laying I saw in the minefields his children playing I saw strings where a great council meets I saw puppets sitting in their seats I saw an heiress in a bank robbery I saw the Symbionese Liberation Army I saw a king nostalgic for when his reign began I saw him die a bloated and broken man I saw three miles that sent a shiver I saw a vision of a glowing river I saw a people’s temple in the jungle end I saw cyanide in the cups of young children I saw choppers on the roof, tanks at the gate I saw a war end but it was too late I saw kidnapping, hijacking, a violent blast I saw it in Beirut, in Saigon, in Belfast I saw peacemakers made of clay and straw I saw death and suffering, famine and war I saw people running scared - beggars and tramps I saw boats of humanity and refugee camps I saw the desecration of a holy place I saw a great divide - it was the human race I saw a pale ghost of flesh and bone I saw the angel of death come to my home I saw Jacob and Esau shaking hands I saw God making His own plans I saw a famine of food, of ideas, of peace I saw a bounty of hate that would not cease I saw invasion by an imperialist thug I saw the casualties and graves that were dug I saw an accused man of a muderous crime I saw him released and given back his time I saw this decade end through the eyes of a teen I saw not where I was going - only where I’d been Written: April 2008

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