Now I am an old man, soon to meet my God
My journey here is almost at an end.
But before the journey’s over there’s one place I must go
Can’t get into heaven till I face up to my hell.
My name is George Zabelka, an ordinary man
And in answer to your questions, my story I will tell.
I was raised to be a Christian in the fashion of the day
Seemed all I had to do was follow rules
So it seemed right to join the army on that island in the sea
Where I was chaplain to the 509th bomb crews.
And I gave the boys a blessing as they flew that August day…
Hiroshima still sleeping and no word did I say.
CHORUS: So I go to light a candle that will shine in the night
For my brother I have wronged, my sister I have killed.
Come light a million candles in the tomb of the night
And we’ll see the light of morning rise again.
Well something deep inside me knew the truth of what I’d done
And my nightmares brought the terror home to me.
I knew the dark and loveless spirit, the cold and clever lie
That held the power and condemned those towns to die
And I know I was no better than the men on Calvary
Who had their orders and followed thoughtlessly.
I know that war has always been, it’s a habit deeply formed
And every land thinks God is on its side.
And the Church has offered blessings and talked about ‘just wars’
Inside with Caesar leaving Christ outside the door
But I say this stage is over, the bomb has changed it all…
Together we will rise up or together we must fall.
And now I am an old man, soon to meet my God
My journey here is almost at an end.
But before the journey’s over I’m going to Japan
As a pilgrim, a small and sorry man
To kneel and beg forgiveness in the hope to reconcile…
One step begins the journey along the homeward mile.
You can download a copy here: Hiroshima Hymn George Zabelka by Peter Kearney
Written by Peter Kearney and you can visit his site: https://www.facebook.com/PeterKearneySongs or buy the song from https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/signs-of-hope/id594398410
