JOHNJOHN

JOHNJOHN

I REMEMBER THE DAY YOUR FATHER DIED
WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG
WHEN I WAS YOUNG
AND YOU WERE JUST A LITTLE LAD

I REMEMBER HOW THE AIRCRAFT
KEPT TAKING OFF AND LANDING
UNTIL I WANTED TO CRY
STOP
THERE SHOULD BE SILENCE
THERE MUST BE SILENCE
FOR THE DREAM HAD BROKEN
LIKE A FILM REEL IN MID MOVIE

NOW THE WATERS CLAIM THE SON
THE WATERS CLAIM HIM
AND WILL NOT SHOW THE SPOT

WHAT CAN WE LEARN
FROM SUCH AN UNTIMELY DEATH
THAT OUR TIME TOGETHER
IS TOO SHORT AND UNCERTAIN
THAT NO DAY SHOULD END IN ANGER
THAT WE SHOULD RESTART THE DREAM
WE THOUGHT HAD ENDED

NOT IN ANYONE'S MEMORY
BUT FOR OURSELVES
FOR THE DREAM OF THE FATHER
FOR THE SON AND US
WAS THAT WE SHOULD LIVE IN A BETTER WORLD
THAN THE ONE WE INHERITED

IT SHOULD BE NOT JUST ONE MAN'S DREAM
NOR END WITH ONE MAN'S DEATH
IT IS A DREAM WE ALL SHOULD CARRY

BUT I REMEMBER
HOW IT WAS
WHEN YOUR FATHER DIED
WHEN THE WORLD WAS YOUNG
WHEN I WAS YOUNG
AND YOU WERE A LITTLE BOY

frank a. vollmer