This is the price of commanding‑‑
That you always stand alone,
Letting no one near
To see the fear
That's behind the mask you've grown.
This is the price of commanding.
This is the price of commanding‑‑
That you watch your dearest die,
Sending women and men
To fight again,
And you never tell them why.
This is the price of commanding.
This is the price of commanding,
That mistakes are signed in red‑‑
And that you won't pay
But others may,
And your best may wind up dead.
This is the price of commanding.
This is the price of commanding‑‑
All the deaths that haunt your sleep.
And you hope they forgive
And so you live
With your memories buried deep.
This is the price of commanding.
This is the price of commanding‑‑
That if you won't, others will.
So you take your post,
Mindful of each ghost‑‑
You've a debt to them to fill.
This is the price of commanding.