Over the Hill

Let's recount our history,

our tale of boom and bust.

We could talk a good fight on our day

but when we got a hand to play we bit the dust.

Now in our threadbare suits we do our duty,

still sold on the pursuit of a common cause.

Now let us call to memory such witness as we dare.

We built our bridges, burned them down as well,

maybe all we have to tell is off the square.

We tried our instant remedies - they didn't clear the

air.

Who could foresee how it was bound to end,

in a break or in a bend?

We intended well enough....

Oh, but the clock was always counting,

the envelope was sealed

and as the pressure's mounting

still precious little is revealed.

Still, let us speak of comradeship, of how we stood as

one,

shoulder to shoulder through the thick and thin

while the roof was caving in;

although everything begins in good faith,

for all our sins we'll all end up being skinned

and now there's nowhere left to run to, there's nowhere

left to hide,

we're strapped in and we're gunning for the roller-

coaster ride.

If we're living our lives as though God's at our

shoulders,

if we're giving of our best, by an effort of will,

then we'll be up for the test,

we'll never know when we're over the hill.

Here comes then bit where we decide no passengers come

on this ride -

civilians, the broken-hearted, need not apply.

I count to a thousand and ten, I keep my eyes tight

shut and then

unsteadily count the numbers back down again.

Head on into the wind, on a heavenly mission,

try to play with the spin while we burn in our hearts;

although we know we'll never win we're still learning

our lessons in the dark.

There's no choice here to make, there's no easier

decision

than to stand up, stand straight and to give it a try

and there's no time for hesitation as the stations of

our lives are passing by.

Heads up and face front as brother to brother,

time to come to the call if we're true to how we were

because at last and after all we've given each other

our words.

If we live out our lives as though God's sat at our

shoulders,

if we give of our best and then give some more still,

press on, with no pause for breath,

then we'll see each other over the hill.

Now if we speak of distances we're only covering old

ground:

what's done is done and if we have become of worth at

all

we'll hope to see things in the round.

Let's close the book on history and keep it safe and

sound.

While we've been moving forward to our goals

we have done as we have told,

so the story's closed behind us

and the countdown comes in backwards,

that much was always clear,

so when it reaches zero our heroes disappear.