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John Denver Lyrics for Song: The Box
 Lyrics for Album: Poems, Prayers & Promises [1971]
 
 
 
 9612>by Lascelles Abercrombie
 
 Recited by John Denver on his album "Poems, Prayers & Promises"
 
 
 
 Once upon a time, in the land of Hush-A-Bye,
 
 Around about the wondrous days of yore,
 
 They came across a kind of box
 
 Bound up with chains and locked with locks
 
 And labeled "Kindly do not touch; it's war."
 
 
 
 A decree was issued round about, and all with a flourish and a shout
 
 And a gaily colored mascot tripping lightly on before.
 
 Don't fiddle with this deadly box,
 
 Or break the chains, or pick the locks.
 
 And please don't ever play about with war.
 
 
 
 The children understood. Children happen to be good
 
 And they were just as good around the time of yore.
 
 They didn't try to pick the locks
 
 Or break into that deadly box.
 
 They never tried to play about with war.
 
 
 
 Mommies didn't either; sisters, aunts, grannies neither
 
 'Cause they were quiet, and sweet, and pretty
 
 In those wondrous days of yore.
 
 Well, very much the same as now,
 
 And not the ones to blame somehow
 
 For opening up that deadly box of war.
 
 
 
 But someone did. Someone battered in the lid
 
 And spilled the insides out across the floor.
 
 A kind of bouncy, bumpy ball made up of guns and flags
 
 And all the tears, and horror, and death that comes with war.
 
 
 
 It bounced right out and went bashing all about,
 
 Bumping into everything in store.
 
 And what was sad and most unfair
 
 Was that it didn't really seem to care
 
 Much who it bumped, or why, or what, or for.
 
 
 
 It bumped the children mainly. And I'll tell you this quite plainly,
 
 It bumps them every day and more, and more,
 
 And leaves them dead, and burned, and dying
 
 Thousands of them sick and crying.
 
 'Cause when it bumps, it's really very sore.
 
 
 
 Now there's a way to stop the ball. It isn't difficult at all.
 
 All it takes is wisdom, and I'm absolutely sure
 
 That we can get it back into the box,
 
 And bind the chains, and lock the locks.
 
 But no one seems to want to save the children anymore.
 
 
 
 Well, that's the way it all appears, 'cause it's been bouncing round
 
 for years and years
 
 In spite of all the wisdom wizzed since those wondrous days of yore
 
 And the time they came across the box,
 
 Bound up with chains and locked with locks,
 
 And labeled "Kindly do not touch; it's war."
 
 9612>
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| Album Lyrics: Poems, Prayers & Promises [1971] |  
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  John Denver
 "Poems, Prayers & Promises [1971]"
 
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