The Spirit Said "No" - Tom Paxton

I feel that I must fight, I cried

But the spirit said, no

This time I am right, I cried

But the Spirit said, no

Righteous anger turned my head

All my thoughts were burning red

To see my enemy lie dead,

But the spirit said, no

But the spirit said, no

The need to fight is strong, I cried

But the spirit said, no

My enemy is wrong, I cried

But the Spirit said, No

My faithless enemy broke trust

I’d see him trampled in the dust

For God knows that my cause is just

But the Spirit said, no

The Spirit said, no

Anger flowed like burning liquor

Through my blood and my brain

Hatred for my enemy

The need to cause him pain

Was my obsession now

My craving, now

God damn my enemy

Why, look at him standing there

Why, can’t you see

How he hates me

I want to see him dead, I cried

But the spirit said, no

You heard the things he said, I cried

But the spirit said, no

There is no kinder soul than I

But he’s a beast, and that is why

I’d see him dead — I’d see him die

But the spirit said, no

The Spirit said, no

Anger flowed like burning liquor

Through my blood and my brain

Hatred for my enemy

The need to cause him pain

Was my obsession now

My craving, now

God damn my enemy

Why, look at him standing there

Why, can’t you see

How he hates me

I want to see him dead, I cried

But the spirit said, no

You heard the things he said, I cried

But the spirit said, no

There is no kinder soul than I

But he’s a beast, and that is why

I’d see him dead — I’d see him die

But the spirit said, no

The spirit said no

I want to walk the peace walk

I want to talk the peace talk

I want to find the freedom

In my heart

I want to walk the peace walk

I want to talk the peace talk

I want to find the freedom

In my heart