STRONGARM:       This man is from the East? Bravo I say

                                A lesson shall be learned from this! Hooray!

                                He should have fled our country long ago

                                We must allow our youth time to play

                                Before they enter into battle’s fray

                                Let them enjoy their fun today

                                Why should they not strike him down?

                                Enemy

                                Your face seems sad, dull and grey

                                Will you not the opposition slay?

                                When you come face to face

                                In that foul reckoning place

                                How will you keep him at bay?

                                Enemy

CLOVERLEAF:      But this old man, like many of his kin

                                Has settled here and made a place to dwell

                                He has committed against us no sin

                                Has worked the land and raised his family well

                                He can’t return now that his heart dwells here

                                The East is foreign now to him as us

                                To hate his kind and make them live in fear

                                And persecute their old folk seems unjust

STRONGARM:       Blood ties all men to their homeland

                                More than the soil he tills

        As desert winds blow drifting sand

        As salmon fight the current’s hand

        Against the ages mountains stand

        So blood will draw us still

        Let not your young eyes be deceived

        By weakness and old age

        For this man is no more than thief

        When he harvested the sheaf

        Tickled trout or butchered beef

        You should have been enraged

        Food heaped on his laden plate

        Is stolen from your children’s hands

        Ripened fruit and tasty fish

        For every good thing you can wish

        He’s stolen from our land

        Now let the deed be done

        He reaps his just reward

        Your daughter and your son

       Their payment has been won 

       First one man’s set upon

       Then his kin put to the sword

CLOVERLEAF:     I can no longer watch this fight

                               My stomach turns just at the sight

                               Of such a deed that is not right

                               My heart tells me it’s so

STRONGARM:      Why let your heart beat stronger

                               Drum up courage in your blood

                               All should be made to witness

       As we cut out this foul sickness

       End corruption, preserve good

       Our nation great for longer

       Let your poor heart swell with pride

       Observe your comrade’s brave feat

       When weeds obscure the harvest

       The farmer roots them out lest

       They choke the green shoots of wheat

       He from duty cannot hide

CLOVERLEAF:     Is this justice? You say so

                              Words unwelcome to my mind

      Justice breaking old men’s bones

      Something I cannot condone

      Looking in my heart I find

      Truth that’s troubling to my soul

      He has lived a life of peace

      Undeserving of his fate

      Broken bundle on the ground

      He lies still and makes no sound

      I’m sure he’s dead, killed by hate

      Can we make this conflict cease?

STRONGARM:     The old are like the young you know

                              None are innocent of blame

                              They only reap what they have sown

                              They kindled hatred’s flame

                              As long as blood is on their hands

                              Sacred blood our forebears spilled

      They may again together band

      And seek our kind to kill

      The enemy within the gate

      Is tenfold more the threat

      Among our own kind see them wait

      To add to hatred’s debt

(The train sets of with a jolt)

                              See we start now on our way

                              Push from your mind that sight

                              Unlike the deeds done on this day

                              No old men shall we fight

STRONGARM settles back to sleep, confident of having won and so ended the argument. CLOVERLEAF continues to look out of the window and speaks quietly to himself.

CLOVERLEAF:    This is indeed a nation great

      Our fields are burdened rich with crops

      With industry in every state

      Our people’s labour never stops

      Why when we prosper must we hate?

      Hate does not bring with it wealth

     And if we win, what of our state?

     Will we begin to hate ourselves?

     With East destroyed and only West

     Should we not then burn with shame?

     We’ll have gained little when we rest

     Earned infamy instead of fame

    We turn our minds to thoughts of sleep

    In our hearts hatred’s river creeps

He turns to look out of the window again.

    Wake quickly now, you must get up!

STRONGARM:   What’s wrong has mortal danger struck?

CLOVERLEAF:   In our capital we’ve arrived

                             A place where we can burst with pride

                             And see there on a distant hill

                             The sentinel is standing still

STRONGARM:   Ah, symbol of our people pure

    A sign of our most noble kind

    A thousand years it has stood sure

    Gleaming in the bright sunshine

    Before too many days have passed

    It shall bear witness to glory

    Like our troops shall stand steadfast

    Recording this nation’s story

    We shall gather at its holy seat

    Victorious and honoured breed

    While conquered foe kneel at our feet

    From their tyranny we are freed

    Because I know this in my heart

    I’ll feel no fear when fighting starts

CLOVERLEAF:  Sly like the foul serpent that slinks

    Deep in the shadows hunting prey

    Does not creeping doubt search for chinks

    And bring night’s terrors into day

    Waiting within your heart to strike

    At that resolve you’ve always shown

    And stirring feelings quite unlike

    Unshaken confidence you’ve known?

    If this is so I envy you

    If your faith stops you feeling fear

    I know I’ve tried to be like you

   Stand resolute as war comes near

   I know not if we’re truly brave

   Or fools that gallop to the grave

STRONGARM:  My words are true and form a shield

   That burns more brightly than the sun

   Against which any foe must yield

  More powerful than sword or gun

  I tire of your defeatist mood

  You need to choose which side you’re on

  This is no time to fret and brood

  Our way of life will soon be gone

  Unless we take steps bold and brave

  And make a stand on foreign soil

  So that we may our own kind save

  It’s with this fervour my blood boils

  I pray now your own counsel keep

  My heavy hooded eyes need sleep

STRONGARM closes his eyes while Cloverleaf stares blankly out of the window. The stage goes dark and the sound of the train fades into the distance. When the stage is completely dark the sounds of a fierce battle being fought can be heard. Flashes and explosions light the stage.

End of Act 1