early in the morning just as the sun was rising came without a warning the sound of the uprising gunfire in the streets women and children crying the crush of marching feet men and young boys dying why can t we live in peace we live in the troubled times the shadow of annihilation troubles every mind and chills the heart of every nation darkness fills the night she tries to steal your soul away killing in the sunlight she spreads the shadow through the day why can t we live in peace why can we have no release you and i we don t know why so many people cry you and i we don t know understand the ways of mine why can t we live in peace why can we have no release