Winnie woke for breakfast, the night still overhead
Dreams of California had filled him in his bed
Dreams of desert sunlight, of drilling in the heat
and eyes of ancient sorrow he couldn’t bear to meet

The gaze of dear Lothario had cut him to the heart
“No time for that”, said Winnie, he rode to disembark
The Sun shined overhead like the night had once before
But dreams became a nightmare with all that was in store

The gods of war had brought him and all his many men
to fight here on his home ground, these rolling, rocky lands
His sabre at his side drew a vow from long ago
That came from shaking lips of old Lothario

Piano played a somber tune, the night they last had met
Old friends off to combat, to battle head-to-head
Lo and Winnie grieving, the old California crew
would break apart like everyone and everything they knew

Lothario said to Winnie, with hands held in the dark
“Winnie I've got to promise, I mean it with my heart
If I draw my sword on you, in the war that lies ahead
may I be damned forever, may God strike me dead”

a courier boy saluted, with news of war he came
The battle had launched, among the foes, an old familiar name
Winnie he froze in horror, a sorrow-shattered heart
Lothario he’d face in battle, after all these years apart
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California memories had plagued Lothario
A long way off from friendship, a long way off from home
Piano keys they echoed through drums along the line
with only one objective, one final slope to climb

He looked across the valley to see familiar flags
The one he’d sworn to honor, replaced with tattered rags
that fluttered all around him in mighty crimson hue
He sighed, “Winnie, you’re out there, you know what I’m to do”

The earth had shook for hours, as if about to break
to open up and swallow him, it seemed a kinder fate
but fate would not allow him to run from all he feared
He drew his sword and pointed, the fateful day was here

Cannon shot exploded and blew his men away
the numbers slowly dwindled with dark and frantic sway
The line had shrunk around him, ‘til just his own remained
Lothario’s last ones standing, a mighty charge exclaimed

The whizz of bullets passing, the race for him was on
To reunite with Winnie, he knew all else was gone
Soaked in blood he made it, he climbed his old friend’s wall
His once unending army, he’d lost them one and all

He thought he saw him ride by, he fell and met his end
like California sunshine, as all that once had been
Had truly slipped away now, he whispered tenderly
“Winnie, my friend, I’m sorry”