Caledonia

oh my Caledonia

what have they done to you?

slaughtered all your forests

for wood to cut and use

.

left your land so bare, so barren

no life can be sustained

the mighty stags have no more food

so we shoot them to hide or shame

.

bullet after bullet

into their tender brains

murder here is called a sport

and their flesh is called game

.

oh my Caledonia

what have they done to you?

murdered all your wild animals

or imprisoned them in zoos

.

oh my Caledonia

the tears I cry for you

the shame I feel is deep inside

for I was complicit, too

.

I stood by silently

not seeing it was wrong

too busy chasing my next high

or dancing in a club

.

I was blinded by my own pain

oblivious to yours

addiction reigned, ignorance sustained

nothing in my life was pure

.

how much I took for granted

while you paid the heavy cost

oh Mother Earth I’m sorry

for the ancient forests lost

.

the light and joy that lived inside

was cut down by the greedy

arrogant and snide

believing their own cheap whisky lies

that this is how we should survive

.

oh my Caledonia

I’m as sorry as can be

hand me a spade or shovel

and a little tree

I will spend my lifetime

helping to restore thee

.

then there will be great forests

for my grandchildren once again

they will live in harmony

with fruits everywhere to enjoy

.

and they will love the animals

and be friends to all

and they will never know the pain

of this shame filled song

.

everywhere they look will be

Mother Nature starting back

bed and birds and butterflies

will harmonise in that

.

the earth will restore

from farming chemicals

decades of abuse

from profit driven thrills

.

we will do the work together

that our parents couldn’t do

we will work from our hearts

and no blame will ensue

.

for everybody did their best

and so I will do mine too

oh my Caledonia I

am coming home to you