Far from Home

Gerald Brennan—composer, lyricist, pianist, singer

I have little to say about this song. It came to me in a rush, with no particular reason or cause.
War is necessary. Sorry, but as we are human, it is sometimes necessary. That sounds like a stupid and needlessly tragic point-of-view, but it is so. It’s truly the crowning glory of the worst that’s in us, and it must manifest itself from time to time.

My son is home, he’s with me at last.
His heart is lost somewhere in the past.
He doesn’t see
what this does to me.
He’s here, but he’s far from home.

Where has it gone, that light in his eye?
He won’t explain and I don’t know why.
That light shined before
that terrible war
that took him so far from home.

I know the look, that thousand-yard stare.
I take his hand but he isn’t there.
What does he see,
when he looks at me?
His eyes are so far from home.

I miss his smile, his face in the sun,
Just having some fun –
life had such sweetness
and now there is none.

Silent and still, alone in his chair,
he falls asleep and I say a prayer.
Thankin’ the Lord,
he put up his sword,
and never again shall roam..

Beggin’, O Lord,
may he be restored.
He’ll never stray far
from home.