I can’t remember how it happened, but a decade ago I ended up with a song called “I Am the Sword” on my iPod (one of the big chunky ones that made clicking noises). I recall being baffled by the song and going back to it again and again to try to puzzle out its meaning, which wasn’t readily apparent to me until I read the lyrics years later. I also hadn’t realized until recently that the song is an early instance of a theme running through much of Eric’s music (and writing), a theme of plumbing the thoughts and cares of inanimate objects (like bikes and onions). Eric is one of my finest friends now, but the beginning of my friendship with his music goes all the way back to that one song, which is one of the gems on this new EP, Counting My Rings.
Last week, Eric wrote up a history of each of the tracks on Counting (click here to read that post), and the (digital only) album is now available in the Rabbit Room store. Here’s the song that made me an Eric Peters fan. I hope it does the same for a few of you.
“I Am the Sword” by Eric Peters from Counting My Rings: B-sideshttps://rabbitroom.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IamtheSword.mp3
Cold, hard steel on a weary battlefield Makes for stuff of legend and of myth Forged from the ore which never should have bore The brunt of such a war to begin with
Bedded down for the eve, I easily drift off to sleep without a care, without a second thought I am the brazen bearer of a great and holy terror a venom and deliverer of sorts
I am the union, I am secesh I am the musket in the field at wilderness I am the foe, I am the friend I am the bloodied saber at the battle’s end I am the rifle, and I am the sword
I helped to turn the tide while still on the rebel’s side the master in the slave’s lowly hand once you realize that all the promises were lies you never want to be used again once you realize that all your truths were only lies you never want to be held again
I am the union, I am secesh I am the musket in the field at wilderness I am the foe, I am the friend I am the bloodied saber at the battle’s end I am the murderer of brothers from both near and far I am Grant, I am Lee I am the wedge dividing men and their beloved country