if you have measured breath in weight of gold
no one has spoken of the need for haste
nor of the reasons why the flock were chased
out of safe shelter back into the cold
such a short time ago now just enrolled
in this man’s army and out on the waste
not one of us but knows we are disgraced
by this sad service and now you are told
say this when time returns you to your place
in the long record of the failing years
that we have done our task and gone our way
said our defiant words right to your face
cast off our clothes and let loose our tears
but never once have we refused our pay
