the honest men and the ones who lied

it felt like the dawn
with a big wheel and a spin;
there was a tug and a pull
but i couldn't give in
to the urge for sleep:
people were gathering in the street,
children on the run
looking up at the rising sun
and down the barrel of a mean, steel gun.
the loudspeakers blared
that nobody cared
but i saw a friendly hand,
felt a sense of pride
that i could tell the difference
between the honest men and the ones who lied.
there was a moment
when the skies grew dark and cold;
a mother with blue eyes
trembled when she realized she was growing old
and the blond dad
who once felt determined and glad
saw his world changing, grew angry and sad.
it felt like the dawn
with a big wheel and a spin;
there was a tug and a pull
but i couldn't give in
to the urge to sleep;
people were gathering in the street,
children on the run
looking up at the rising sun
and down the barrel of a cold, steel gun.
the loudspeakers blared
that nobody cared
but i saw a friendly hand,
felt a sense of pride
that i could tell the difference
between the honest men and the ones who lied.