I have walked among the tumult,
I come on wings of carrion, to take
The weary, weak, forgotten souls,
Beyond this place to heaven's gate.

I have witnessed many slip away.
Yet, through all the hate and fear that so completely
Plants the seeds of war, there is only one
That I, so hate and fear.

This, a war of honor's most honorable ideal.
That, of one man's head raised high above another.
So I watched them cast their hearts to thee,
And take their stand on either side of ready swords.

Hence to see, and hence to me.
They stood for all their long forgotten cause.
One for tradition's most benighted grace,
One for freedom he did not intend to give.

Oh for all of these most forgotten causes,
Truly honorable were they, that stood to fight, to kill, were they!
They raised their swords, their guns, their hate,
And threw them thence to brothers, fathers, countrymen!

Without a pause they rushed to honor their forgotten cause.
To cut down the men they once called friends.
This is war, so stewed among the hearts of men,
That it boils to the brim.

The rights of states?
The will of men?
What of this freedom promised them?
What are these with death at hand?

For all of these they marched to war,
But I have no greed for counting death,
I watched good men bleed for less.
And so I weep for thee, oh long forgotten cause.