I arrived at the gates—I heard drums and trumpet
I said to myself, "It is the Army march"—personal things are prohibited
They lined me up and cut off my hair—then gave me a uniform
Damn you, Sarge—you put me on watch
While on watch, I slept—I remembered my mother
I put my gun on the ground—I remembered my mother
My loneliness makes me crazy—birds have nested here
I wrote a letter with a tea leaf—I'm doing a squat walk, where are you?
I wrote a letter with an olive leaf—oh, my dear, don't forget me!
I wrote a letter with a grape leaf—I was separated from my house for two years
I wrote a letter with a palm kernel—who can endure twenty-one months?