If Not Me

He said: mama I know you have
A lot of plans for me
College in the fall
Hey I'm almost eighteen
I've been doing lots of thinking
About a lot of stuff
Went down to the recruiter today
And I signed up
If not there, then where
If not now, then when
If not this, then what else can I defend
Being gone and being scared
What else can I do
You are not me mama
If not me then who
He's upstairs shaving
His cloth is starched and pressed
I'm down here praying, my mind is a mess
I ask where he got, these crazy ideas anyway
He just smiles and says:
It's the way that I was raised
If not there, then where
If not now, then when
If not this, then what else can I defend
Being gone and being scared
What else can I do
If not me daddy
If not me then who
We wait for his letters, emails and satellite calls
Then the politics
Thats number 84 wide receiver for the Wildscats whos pictures is hangning in my home next to the soldier standing proud and tall
He said
If not there, then where
If not now, then when
If not this, then what else can I defend
Being gone and being scared
What else can I do
If not me dear God
If not me then who