England 1914

England 1914 - Ralph McTell

Night stirs her inky finger in the water of the day

The tired sun drops slowly in the sky

And everywhere the gentle air hangs heavy with the day song

Evening calls the lamplight out to come

Children's wooden hoops go clattering down the street

Soon they're called inside it's getting late

The grand canal

Now splashed with red

Reflects on swallows wings

The lamplighter knows the song the evening sings

But the gas-lamps stand like soldiers

Hiss warnings to the wind

Their evening vespers prophicy a war

The world divides

And men take sides

The spark bursts into flame

Nothing can be quite the same again

Dog barks in the distance

Child cries in her sleep

Night waits for the dawn with baited breath

The old school the old rule

Rung out on a muffinman's bell

The lamplighter has made his nightly call

Dreams of hope and peace

Sent clattering down the streets

Empty like the promises they made

The wars rage on and different wrongs

Will someone please explain

That peace is not the lamplighter

'Cause he's not coming back again