Bruce Springsteen - Souls of the Departed lyrics

On the road to Basra
Stood young Lieutenant Jimmy Bly
Detailed to go through the clothes
Of the soldiers who died
At night in dreams, he sees their souls rise
Like dark geese into the Oklahoma skies

Well, this is a prayer for
The souls of the departed
Those who've gone and left
Their babies brokenhearted
This is a prayer for the
Souls of the departed

Now Raphael Rodriguez was just
Seven years old shot down in a schoolyard by
Some East Compton Cholos
His mama cried, "My beautiful boy is dead"
In the hills, the self made men just sighed
And shook their heads

This is a prayer for the
Souls of the departed those who've gone
Left their babies brokenhearted
Young lives over before they got started
This is a prayer for the
Souls of the departed

Tonight as I tuck my own son in bed
All I can think of is what
If it would've been him instead
I want to build me a wall so
High nothing can burn it down
Right here on my own piece of dirty ground

Now I ply my trade in the land of king dollar
Where you get paid and your
Silence passes as honor
And all the hatred and dirty little lies
Been written off the books and
Into decent men's eyes