From Bakersfield to Babylon
(Copyright ©José M. Tirado 2006)

From Bakersfield to Babylon
The righteous fires burn.
Across broad oceans, distant lands
The people haven't learned.
The winds of war blow burning hot
Along the desert floor
And everywhere the sun does set
It's time to say "No more!"

Abu Ghraib, an evil seed
It's vicious flowers bloom
In rage and thirst for vengeance
Throughout the crescent moon.
Some minarets are calling sons
To push this crusade back.
And all that's heard from all our shores:
"Attack! Attack, attack!"

Now fear rules silent, still and stark,
And raving is our King,
Who maddened shouted, "Bring it on!"
And now the others sing,
"Fallujah" "Torture" and "Palestine!"
(Whose children now eat sand)
"Arise together everywhere
For God's sake, take a stand."

Alone/together, the good must face,
The evil we've become,
In Truth alone this fight is won,
Now Justice must be done.
A new cry yearns to be unleashed,
And flung against the tide,
From safety's darkness the time has come,
We can no longer hide.

It is our Fate to live our lives
As if no others trail,
For if by chance another comes
No one but God can tell.
We trade security for a hole
A jail cell warm to sleep
And while we glumly turn our eyes,
A worldwide challenge deep-

Is now demanded everywhere
It's nervous shudder felt,
From north to south to east to west
Before our world does melt.
Reject all war, abandon hate,
Begin to create new-
Embracing visions of one people
Who make these nightmares few.

From Bakersfield to Babylon,
The righteous fires burn,
Across broad oceans distant lands,
It's time our people learned,
That winds of war blow burning hot
Along our earth's dear floor,
So on this flag of stars and stripes,
Let's pledge now, "No more war!"