before i left, i wasn’t anyone
a poor laborer’s lonely son
and i dreamed of women, gold and guns
but they were only dreams
then called a cause that needed me
my sleight of hand and my strong belief
for the west it reigns in a sinful beast
that threatens everything
but swing that hammer, it’s an awful shame
to watch a paper fall, from a stranger’s hand
where’s the glory in all of that
couple pencils and a photograph
the day i left, my mama cried
but i was proud to go, proud to fight
and a blood red sun rose in the sky
and i bent my body east
i found my brothers in the sand
all that artillery and promising
and we bravely faced the task at hand
to cut and kill the beast
took a plane, fulfilled my place
a crowded market and an office space
and the heat of heaven, that metallic taste
and i watched that paper fall
i came to slay, i came to serve
my weapon’s weight against the written word
and i cried out allah and he cried my lord
heaven help us all