The Caravan Moves On

Joab
You must cut Absalom down--

Absalom
There is a time for alteration
There is a time to grow
Dreaming becomes an obligation
To overthrow
The status quo
Though the son may love his father
Father love his son
Nothing should stop them both from knowing
When the father's work is done

David
I shall never be free of the despair my children cause me
Death--rebellion
Endless punishment from a God who never speaks to me

Joab
Oh but He does
Look what He's given you
Never in our history has one man ruled an empire
He's even given you and Bathsheba a second son--
Solomon--I call that speaking to you!

David
I sometimes feel I have achieved what I have
Despite God!
I have only heard Him through others--Samuel--Saul
And have they always told the truth?
And now my beloved Absalom has turned against me

Absalom, my son
Is God speaking to him?

Absalom
Time to turn the pages
Time to turn the screw

Men
The heroes down the ages
Are simply passing through
Triumphs of the mighty
In an instant gone
The caravan moves on...

Joab
He's been corrupted, fooled by others that his time is now

David
I am not finished yet!
I'm still Israel's future

Joab
Then you must cut Absalom down.
Now.

David
How could any man persuade me
To destroy my son?
Even if that son betrayed me
O foolish one
What have you done?

Joab
Think of those who gave you Israel
Loved you, fought your wars

David
I needed love from him--

Joab
--forget it!
You must crush his futile cause.
Weaken, and your nation's finished.

David
Joab, do what you must do
End this insurrection now--but--
Spare his life, I beg of you!

Men
Even the greatest slip from favor
Even the best decays
Why are they not content to savor
Former praise
Glory days?

Absalom
Why does a man give life to children
If he will not give
Anything more than false affection
Any further cause to live

Men
Time for an admission
The king as good as dead
The height of his ambition

Absalom
Should be to die in bed!

Men
Feverish, corrosive
The fickle crowds are gone
The caravan moves on...

(Line repeated by Ghost of Samuel, Ghost of Saul, David, Absalom, then again)

Men
Time to turn the pages
Time to turn the screw
The tyrants down the ages
Are simply passing through
No one's good or evil

When they're dead and
When they're gone
The caravan moves on

The caravan moves, caravan moves, caravan moves... caravan moves on...

(Absalom screaming...)

Joab
I m u s t c u t A b s a l o m d o w n !