Without the Lord in vain.
And through him I earned the glorious right
To slay you, my victim, Sine Nomine
My flag and country stand behind me.
Bugles blast, horses and muskets,
The rumble of cannon, my standard behind me
As noble we stand to take you away,
Noble we stand, Sine Nomine.
This is what matters beyond your resistance,
Beyond the wind and the beast underfoot.
Beyond the musket's jettisoned ball,
Beyond what you could ever imagine
We're loyal to our cause and true to our stay
As today we refine you, Sine Nomine.
The glorious cause my fuel
As I raise my rifle, its bayonet gleaming.
The shine itself does battle
With the whimpering glimmer of you primeval tear -
A tear no less, as raising my arm
And bathing in honour I honour my duty
To salt your wounds and send you condemned
To Hades, I pray, Sine Nomine.
Et non sibi, et non tibi,
But for the truth of God I pause
To glimpse in you (momentarily)
Not cowardice, but fear and paternity;
Your honour and pride, the things you have done
Through all you have lived, achieved and aspired.
Loyal to yours, 'Semper Fidelis',
Your standard and truth are justified.
But this we fear as truth we fear
And with no more reason than the boy who kills a spider
The gleam goes dull, your vision too
As I draw your day, Sine Nomine.
But that moment lingers and my cause is shattered.
Nothing else matters, like mud on my shoes
A new fear and anger inside me are true
As I am as much the looser as you.
And as you descend to caress the fallows on which we stand
I ascend to address the gallows from which my conscience will hang
Till that glorious day when we will meet again
And I will praise you for the life you breathed into me.
So lie down. Lie down,
Be peaceful and still
As I battle on and battle on,
Though no more with arms, the cannon and spear,
but with myself and a new found fear.
We'll meet again, oh master, oh martyr
And I will rush my debt to repay,
But God help us both until that day
And God help you, Sine Nomine.
christo Sept 98