Peace on Earth

When peace shall finally be spoken
When bones shall no longer be broken
Split asunder with shell
Flesh forced apart by semtex and shrapnel
When factions shall finally cease
And prisoners of conscience, see release
When hearts will cease to wage
War with God on every page
Of the book of human life,
When there is an end to strife,

When The last tear has been shed
When the last drop of blood has been bled,
When sword is forged into ploughshare
And spears into pruning hooks there,
And the dark, dark art of war
Will be studied never more,

When there is no more death or dying
And no more sorrows sighing,
For sorrow and sighing will have flown away
When the old order has passed, on that great day,

When Bethlehem's baby is returned as king
And the whisper of peace that he brings
Will be heard and felt by all
As loud as a mighty waterfall,

Then and then only will the peace fully come
That was spoken of, when the angels sung
Of goodwill and peace on the earth
At the advent of saviours birth,
An echo of what is to come
This peace
Complete
This whole shalom