Who Holds the Line

Lyrics

Intro
Stand your ground—hear me now!

Verse 1
They count us out by meal and by name,
Two sides awake in the same hard cage.
White and Mexican, shoulder to shoulder,
Every long night makes the breathing colder.
Across the yard, the Bloods hold tight,
Goodfellas watch for a break in the fight.
No clean way through, no easy retreat,
Just measured steps and the scrape of feet.
I tell the crowd, “Keep your eyes up high!”
They answer, “We’re here—we don’t fold, don’t die!”

Chorus
Who holds the line? (We hold the line!)
Who pays the price? (We pay tonight!)
Time for war—say it again!
Time for war—until the end!
Who walks away? (Not all of us!)
Who gives an inch? (No one does!)
Time for war—say it again!
Time for war—until the end!

Verse 2
Every day wakes with the same bad choice,
A hundred hard stares and a swallowed voice.
A hand goes low; the whole yard knows.
The first one moves, then the whole place goes.
Knives cut the space where the lines once stood,
Machetes swing; nobody’s thinking good.
I shout, “Stay close!” They shout, “We’re set!”
The count keeps climbing; we ain’t done yet.
No way out, no deal to make,
Only the side that can still stand awake.

Chorus
Who holds the line? (We hold the line!)
Who pays the price? (We pay tonight!)
Time for war—say it again!
Time for war—until the end!
Who walks away? (Not all of us!)
Who gives an inch? (No one does!)
Time for war—say it again!
Time for war—until the end!

Bridge
I hear my own voice come back from the rows:
“Still on your feet?” — “Still on our toes!”
One side must fall; that much is clear.
No referee coming. No help getting here.
We fight for the breath that the next day takes.
We fight through the shake that the body makes.
Then the yelling breaks into ragged gasps.
The last few fists loosen. The whole yard snaps.

Final Chorus
Who holds the line? (We held the line!)
Who pays the price? (We paid tonight!)
Time for war—say it again!
Time for war—until the end!
Who walks away? (One side remains!)
Who gives an inch? (No one explains!)
Time for war—say it again!
Time for war—until the end!

Outro
No way out.
One side gone.
I count the breathing.
Then count again.