Deep in the forests of this land
lives a woman old and true
she'll offer you her callused hand
you don't know her but she loves you

crystal streams trickle through her veins
the trees that stand so proud
whisper out her name
a deer running through the open grass
casts a friendly smile
and so she carries on

into her forest comes a soldier
he fights the war that never ends
he's twenty one but looks much older
his master's wealth, he must defend

"you have so much and our needs are great
I need to take some trees
to keep our fires burning
it's just this once then I will be gone
you won't see me again
then you can carry on"

with a loving smile she takes his hand
"all that you see is yours to take
but please be sure to understand
use it wisely for your children's sake

could it be you really need them
or are you sheltering from the calm
a wind that does no harm
I'm not as strong as I used to be
don't ask too much of me"
but still he carries on

year after year he keeps returning
to take more trees from his old friend
the fires of war are fiercely burning
but he's been told, one day they'll end

"I beg you child, know what you do
you can't go on this way
you burn away our future
since time began I've worked so hard for you
don't throw it all away"
but still he carried on

then one day he calls around
but things have changed, something's wrong
the sky is black, there's a deathly sound
the place deserted, the old lady gone

he searches far but now with shelter gone
the cold wind chills his bones
and the earth cries out in pain
at last he knows how much she meant to him
he was her only child
and so he carries on

at last she's found by the river's side
this lady once so strong and proud
cold and scared, death in her eyes
too weak to move, she cries out loud

"my time is short, I will soon be gone
I pray you will survive
but I don't hold out much hope
you kept on taking, now there's nothing left
I begged you all to stop
but still you carried on"

"don't die old lady, I need your help
I know that I've done wrong
but I've learnt my lesson well"
her heart was breaking for her helpless child
but she'd given everything

he held her in his arms
and wept just like a child
as her life just slipped away
she just couldn't carry on

©  NEMO JAMES. All Rights Reserved
Words & Music By Nemo James