this is not the time
to put your trumpet back in its little sack
to put your splintered drumsticks away
to quiet down
sit down
take off your clown face
be a quiet clown
this is not the time

this is not the time
to let your spirit go to sleep
let the fire go out
see smoke twist dwindle
disappear
just because nobody is listening
nobody wants to hear
this is not the time my friend
this is not the time

maybe you don’t know it
but you have a song to sing
you have a rage
yes you have an anger in you
believe me it’s there
it will kill you before it dies
you can’t live with a lie
not today
not in this land
not this year
not this time

you have seen the faces
you have seen the blood
you have drunk the poison
you’ve been sick yourself
sick and in pain
so get up
get on your feet
raise your voice
bang your drum
whatever you have in your hand
in your heart
make a noise
there is evil in this world
children under the gun
men and women under the earth
men and women turned to dirt
so if you want silence and peace
if you want the simple life
I’m sorry
but you will all have to fight
get up and shout
split the darkness with a light
you want to go home and lick your wounds
think about how hard you tried
just let it go
but that’s not a choice today
pay attention
look around
what do you see
you see what I see
and so you know just as well as I
this is not the time for that
this is not the time at all
this is not the time
this is not the time
this is not the time