before the cold

please, no
please no not you too
please not both my sons
not both at once, like this

come back
come back and see this town
come and lay down your arms
i beg of you

how come
how come you're drawn to this
i find it hard to recognise
these soldiers of mine
how can you reconcile yourself to this

hold on
i hold on to the past
before the cold crept inside
you had the clearest eyes
your father and i
watched you wonder, laugh and cry
for gentler things