Emerson In Twilight: Part Two

My high school separation, a respite of joy
As I bandaged my wounds, removed the yoke crying
Freedom, sweet freedom your confusion I claim
As voices spoke of my calling to serve the Lord
And I the clay vessel
With bus ticket in hand
Traveled a long distance
The seminary akin to a foreign land

Rules and restrictions made me just chafe at the bit
But the lessons that were given did make me think
And start to question the deeper meanings of life
Leaving me guilty on the cross and there I bled
As I strived to believe their interpretations
Fermenting on a blank slate
And as the chalk screeched on
A spoon fed diatribe
My eyes could not conceive or prepare to believe

Eighteen with no mission to home I did regress
Relief, yes and passion, my church became my friend
Took a job as a salesman, yet felt emptiness
As the sharpness of life's angles were processed
Leaving me with wanting
Leaving me so confused
The draft it was looming
And I, against the war, felt frightened to refuse

My draft number very high freedom's song I sang
At anti-war marches with my hair flowing long
My church had politics that supported the war
The preacher singled me out on a Sunday morn
Then with epochal scream
I stood up and I left
No one tried to stop me
I quit my church a decision with no regret

I rented a room and lived with some hippie friends
Who were anti-war activists and we had fun
Going to rallies and I drove for they were high
Shouting slogans to end the war and sing our songs
Nothing lasts forever
And one man took my car
The police had chased him
He escaped leaving a warrant for my arrest

I fled to a horse farm and kept a low profile
No one knew where I was or even of my fears
A farmer made a suggestion that changed my life
I joined the US Army and became a man
It was tough I tell you
Boot camp was no picnic
But I graduated
Then got injured and three days later I awoke

I'm not sure what happened or what the doctor said
But I was treated with kid gloves by my Sergeant
I was sent to Germany with a sealed letter
And know not what it said, but then an officer
Took me out of the line
Talked to me quite nicely
And then beyond belief
Gave me several choices where I could be stationed

I was given another sealed letter and told
Give this to the top Sergeant when you report in
The journey made me sick and a doctor saw me
He gave me a shot and soon my head was swimming
Still I reported in
The Sergeant not amused
Screamed at me stand up straight
Then I gave him the letter and his tone did change

He told someone to get me a seat and turned nice
Made a call and I was escorted to my room
Yes, my own private room and I was wondering
What was going on when the orders came to me
No duty for three weeks
I could do as I pleased
And it didn't make sense
To this day I wonder what those letters had said

After three weeks I was made a Hawk missile clerk
And worked on a mountain where radars scanned the sky
It was boring and easy and a scenic place
I would have stayed there, but then a contest to try
To be in the show band
To play guitar and sing
A try-out, could it be
Yes, I was chosen for this band in Germany