The Green Fields of France, by the Fureys and Davey Arthur

The Fureys are an Irish male folk band. They also sometimes record as the The Fureys and Davey Arthur.

Swallowed by the Darkness

Clumps of grey cloud scudded across a metallic sky

In the west, ribbons of brilliant pink and orange slashed the sky like fire

I walked towards a faint light in the sky where the moon tried to escape

An encroaching embrace of dark clouds

Only to be finally swallowed by the darkness

My breath came in strangled gasps as I tried to increase my pace

But something -- weeds in the overgrown yard perhaps

Seemed to grab at my feet and ankles

Bare feet, cold in the grey mud

Leeches dropping from the chartreuse canopy to slither down my neck

And puncture my pulsating arteries

I paused at the steps, staring up at the grey shamble of a porch

The front screen door swung wildly in the wind

Banging and screeching like some trapped beast

On the Eastern Front, gigantic elk stood

Silhouetted against artillery flashes

I ran at them swinging my scythe at their obscene racks

Struggling up the steps

I reached out to stop the screen crashing

Ragged edges of screen tore the skin from my hand

And I watched as swollen blue veins on the top of my hand

Spurted fresh, red blood, along my forearm

So much blood

The steely smell of it

Its thick, gooey feel

My heart slammed against my chest

And great gouts of sweat burned my eyes

I knew I would go in there

And I did

And there I am

Swallowed by the darkness

All is Vanity

Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.

I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.

Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?