The door it opened slowly,
My father he came in,
I was nine years old
And he stood so tall above me,
His blue eyes they were shining
And his voice was very cold
He said, "i've had a vision
And you know I'm strong and holy,
I must do what i've been told"
So he started up the mountain,
I was running, he was walking,
And his axe was made of gold
Well, the trees they got much smaller,
The lake a lady's mirror,
We stopped to drink some wine
Then he threw the bottle over
Broke a minute later
And he put his hand on mine
Thought I saw an eagle
But it might have been a vulture,
I never could decide
Then my father built an altar,
He looked once behind his shoulder,
He knew I would not hide

You who build these altars now
To sacrifice these children,
You must not do it anymore
A scheme is not a vision
And you never have been tempted
By a demon or a god
You who stand above them now,
Your hatchets blunt and bloody,
You were not there before,
When I lay upon a mountain
And my father's hand was trembling
With the beauty of the word

And if you call me brother now,
Forgive me if I inquire,
"Just according to whose plan?"
When it all comes down to dust
I will kill you if I must,
I will help you if I can
When it all comes down to dust
I will help you if I must,
I will kill you if I can
And mercy on our uniform,
Man of peace or man of war,
The peacock spreads his fan