A mist halos the meadow and a soft wind Breathes a whisper through the trees As I lean against a hickory I close my eyes and I can almost see The ghostly forms of blue and gray And I can almost hear the cannons blast Standin' in the presence of the past The first few waves came cheerin' Fear and hatred runnin' through their blood When the day was finally over Those left were wadin' through a crimson flood To think I could be right here In the spot where some young soldier breathed his last Standin' in the presence of the past Brother fightin' brother Father fightin' son By the time the sun was settin' Looked like the South had won Now my mouth's as dry as cotton And my heart is beatin' fast Standin' in the presence of the past Sunrise caught the rebels sleepin' and they woke To hear a Yankee bugle blow Bullets flew like angry hornets Till the peach tree blossoms drifted down like snow It must have been like hell on earth What happened here is more than we can grasp Standin' in the presence of the past Brother fightin' brother Father fightin' son By the time the smoke had lifted They knew the North had won Lord my soul feels empty As my tears fall on this gra** Standin' in the presence of the past Brother k**in' brother Father slayin' son From the looks of this old graveyard Hell nobody really won Somethin's changed inside me It sure can happen fast Standin' in the presence of the past A mist halos the meadow and a soft wind Breathes a whisper through the trees