preservation

fight for your life, 

don't fight at all, 

fight for a life, 

don't fight at all. 

withdraw your swords, cannons and all, 

whether to keep up this war, or stay at the helm. 

fight for your life, or not at all, 

who says what, it doesn't matter all that much. 

what makes sense, ask the scribe, 

who stands by their own words, 

no one keeps to it.