Lyrics The Spirit Said "No" - Tom Paxton

The Spirit Said "No"

I feel that I must fight, I cried
But the spirit said, no
This time I am right, I cried
But the Spirit said, no
Righteous anger turned my head
All my thoughts were burning red
To see my enemy lie dead,
But the spirit said, no
But the spirit said, no
The need to fight is strong, I cried
But the spirit said, no
My enemy is wrong, I cried
But the Spirit said, No
My faithless enemy broke trust
I’d see him trampled in the dust
For God knows that my cause is just
But the Spirit said, no
The Spirit said, no
Anger flowed like burning liquor
Through my blood and my brain
Hatred for my enemy
The need to cause him pain
Was my obsession now
My craving, now
God damn my enemy
Why, look at him standing there
Why, can’t you see
How he hates me
I want to see him dead, I cried
But the spirit said, no
You heard the things he said, I cried
But the spirit said, no
There is no kinder soul than I
But he’s a beast, and that is why
I’d see him dead — I’d see him die
But the spirit said, no
The Spirit said, no
Anger flowed like burning liquor
Through my blood and my brain
Hatred for my enemy
The need to cause him pain
Was my obsession now
My craving, now
God damn my enemy
Why, look at him standing there
Why, can’t you see
How he hates me
I want to see him dead, I cried
But the spirit said, no
You heard the things he said, I cried
But the spirit said, no
There is no kinder soul than I
But he’s a beast, and that is why
I’d see him dead — I’d see him die
But the spirit said, no
The spirit said no
I want to walk the peace walk
I want to talk the peace talk
I want to find the freedom
In my heart
I want to walk the peace walk
I want to talk the peace talk
I want to find the freedom
In my heart