Excuses III by X (Poet) Lyrics

And I--ah, mine's a bitter case indeed;
You call me slacker, coward, what you will--
I have a patent duty to fulfil
By my white soul whose promptings I must heed:
It's not my fault if heroes choose to bleed,
Blood I abhor, and no man's blood I'll spill,
My conscience simply will not let me kill--
The Sixth Commandment's plain for all to read.
Clearly, who fights is either wicked or mad,
And rage and malice are the spawn of hell;
No quarrel have I with Germans or with Turks:
I'm single--yes! Profession? I used to sell
Cats' meat before the war; but times being bad
I've taken a job at a munition works.