[Verse 1] I taped their names along the desks in blue. The youngest needed help to tie a shoe. One drew horses where the sums should go; One always had an answer she was certain I should know. [Chorus] The desks still kept their names. I knew which child was which. You cannot count a classroom And leave the children out of it. [Verse 2] The lesson stopped before the page was through. The sky came down on everything we knew. I found a broken pencil in the sand And held it like there might be someone reaching for my hand. [Chorus] The desks still kept their names. I knew which child was which. You cannot count a classroom And leave the children out of it. [Verse 3] They said the target had been verified. They said the wider mission justified The losses they regretted from afar. I wondered if they knew how small a child's belongings are. [Bridge] One would finish early. One would ask for more. One would always turn around To help the child before. [Final Chorus] The desks still kept their names. I knew which child was which. You cannot count a classroom And leave the children out of it. [Outro] I taped their names along the desks in blue. There are things no finished mission can undo. © 2026 The Shady River Bard. All rights reserved.
