Christmas, World War I

Oh, the snowflakes fell in silence
Over Belleau Wood that night
For a Christmas truce had been declared
By both sides of the fight.
As we lay there in our trenches
The silence broke in two
By a German soldier singing
A song that we all knew.

Though I did not know the language
The song was "Silent Night"
Then I heard my buddy whisper,
"All is calm and all is bright."
Then the fear and doubt surrounded me
'Cause I'd die if I was wrong
But I stood up in my trench
And I began to sing along.

Then across the frozen battlefield
Another's voice joined in
Until one by one each man became
A singer of the hymn.

Then I thought that I was dreaming
For right there in my sight
Stood the German soldier
'Neath the falling flakes of white.
And he raised his hand and smiled at me
As if he seemed to say
Here's hoping we both live
To see us find a better way.

Then the devil's clock struck midnight
And the skies lit up again
And the battlefield where heaven stood
Was blown to hell again.

But for just one fleeting moment
The answer seemed so clear
Heaven's not beyond the clouds
It's just beyond the fear.

No, heaven's not beyond the clouds
It's for us to find it here.

 
Written By: Garth Brooks, Joe Henry
From the CD titled "Sevens"