Joe, Al-David, Graham, Floyd, Bud and Janice, Scott, Rob and Robert. Thank you all for your comments. The generosity of this community never fails to astound me.

Lyrics by Keith Stempfly

I only wrote the telegrams sent words of regret
To mothers wives and fathers who were praying for a vet
Sent words in a daze that seemed totally unreal
With no one around to tell me how to feel
But I only wrote the telegrams

I only made the shadow boxes with medals in their rows
Which ones were the posthumous I didn't want to know
Spent hours and hours to get them in just the right place
Tried to deny the void they meant to replace
But I only made the shadow boxes

I only set the funerals for some fathers and some sons
Whose luck put them too soon in the ground of Arlington
The taps would play and the guns sound their salute
A gently folded flag instead of a young recruit
But I only set the funerals

I only wrote the telegrams thirty years ago
In an undeclared war for reasons we'll never know
nights filled with dreams medals crashing on my desk
And dirt falling falling on my face
and taps and guns.....and words full of regret
But I only wrote the telegrams


RealTracks:
RealTracks in style: 1596:Guitar, Acoustic, Strumming Pop16ths Ev16 065
RealTracks in style: 1595:Guitar, Acoustic, Fingerpicking Pop8thsSteady Ev 065
RealTracks in style: 1601:Mandolin, Rhythm Pop16Melodic Ev 065
RT1592:Bass, Electric, Pop16ths Ev 065

and of course.. Bob Buford's wonderful guitar

LyricLab A.I assisted chords and lyric app. Export lyrics and import directly into Band-in-a-Box 2024.
https://lyriclab.net
Play-along with songs you know and love, download SGU files
https://playiit.com/