I have failed you all,
Blinded by greed and ambition.
I have hurt you all down through the centuries
And you have given me the stick
With which I beat you.
I confess my sins,
You forgive and forget.
Perhaps because you hide your shame
In the thronging crowd.
The shame of having placed me above you.
Yes, I confess my sins.
I brought Hitler to power
And gave him a free hand while I watched from afar.
I saw the camps and did nothing.
I cheated my allies after the war,
After they had charged the tanks with horses.
I left them in the grip of a dictator.
It was I who sent the world to war,
Sent its peoples to die,
Sent machines to kill.
My hands are drenched in blood
Though when I hold them up for your inspection
You will see only the inkstains on my cuffs.
I sleep soundly at night
For it is you who have placed me here.
And where is here?
Downing Street,White House or Kremlin,
It is of little consequence
For I sit in every one.
I am the politician
And I thank you for your support.
