I wish I'd been there and held you close
In the darkening night when you cried out in fright
I wish I'd been near the scent of your fear
In the somber trees which pleaded, "Help, Please"
And shouted my name but to my great shame

The only reply whispered your fear
Whispered your fear
Sympathetic eyes now glaze with reproach
Former acquaintances dare not approach
Worn out and pale with compassion fatigue
A nagging suspicion that we'd been in league

Sly innuendos of fire and smoke
And isn't it strange the wife never spoke?
I wish that I'd been the man who said, "yes"
And "I love you dear child" and "may God bless"
I wish I'd said, "Stay, you don't need to go"
And not been the man who always said "No"
For now you are gone
The silence echoes
Silence echoes silently, silently

The cameras came but then they went
The benevolent fund was all but spent
A memorial stone declares, "Never Forget!"
Erected to help us not remember
As each year passes by my grip calcifies
And a love once tender withers and dies
I wish that I'd been the man who said, "yes"
And "I love you dear child" and "may God bless"
I wish I'd said, "Stay, you don't need to go"

And not been the man who always said "No"
For now you are gone
The silence echoes
Silence echoes silently, silently
Now I'm stripped naked and stood alone
Sisyphus, pushing my singular stone
Against the grain of common belief
Determined that justice will overcome grief

"Give up", "Move on", the relentless taunting
"I wish, I wish", th' Eternal Haunting
I wish that I'd been the man who said, "yes"
And "I love you dear child" and "may God bless"
I wish I'd said, "Stay, you don't need to go"
And not been the man who always said "No"
For now you are gone
The silence echoes
Silence echoes silently, silently

lyrics by Patrick O'Kane