Sarissa

Lyrics

I am awkward to carry. I catch in the brush.
I require both hands and a terrible patience.

18 feet of cornel wood, stripped of the bark.
Too heavy to swing as the old heroes tried.
I am not for the duel, I am not for the dark,
I am built for the crush where the bodies collide.
You rest my weight on the shoulder ahead,
5 rows of iron jutting out in the glare.
As long as we push in this unified tread,
I am the lord of the field.

But do not let me be singular.
Do not let the line break and the panic begin.
A sword can be a savior, an axe is a friend,
but I am only teeth when I am part of the jaw.
If the man to your left meets a sudden end,
I am nothing but timber, heavy and slow.
Do not let me be one.

Your nervous system stretches down the length of my spine.
You feel the wind shifting 5 yards ahead.
We are locked in the grid, we are keeping the time,
waiting for the dust to surrender the dead.
The bronze butt-spike anchors the dirt at your heel,
14 spans from the counterweight up to your palm.
You sweat on the wood, I vibrate with the steel,
praying the formation stays calm.

But do not let me be singular.
Do not let the line break and the panic begin.
A sword can be a savior, an axe is a friend,
but I am only teeth when I am part of the jaw.
If the man to your left meets a sudden end,
I am nothing but timber, heavy and slow.
Do not let me be one.

Because when the push comes, and the shields lock tight,
and the boy on your right takes a spear in the throat...
The gap opens up like a tear in the night.
The phalanx is sinking, and I am the boat.
I cannot pivot. I cannot defend.
I am too long for rescue. I take too long to bend.

Close the gap.
Step into his blood and close the gap.
I am a wall. I am a monster.
But only if they stand beside you.
Hold the line.
Do not let me be one.