The rose forever dies

The call came early and my John woke
He looked at the morning and softly to me he spoke.
And then was gone
And I was here
The baby cried
He sensed my fear
Why do mornings you remember
Make the days you would forget
Why does the rose, once it has blown
Forever die.

Incense and sandalwood
Promises of gold
Will buy me no mercy I'm told
Nobody tells me
And I don't believe lies
Why the rose, once it has blown
Forever dies.

I watched him leaving in early light
And thought on the fever that hurries young men to fight
I love him more
For that he cares
I only cry
Such selfish tears
Why do mornings you remember
Make the days you would forget
Why does the rose, once it has blown
Forever die.

Sat on a window ledge
Scattering the dust
I feel I'm abandoned to dust
Nobody tells me
And I don't believe lies
Why the rose, once it has blown
Forever dies.

I scatter soft petals
Of my life that has been
And ask, of you who are wise
Why the rose, once it has blown
Forever dies.

Written for Sylvia to sing.

I had in mind the American Civil War - not sure why.

The imagery is from Edward Fitzgerald's translation of the 'Rubaiyat of Omar Khayam', and I tried to illustrate that in a life.

Sylvia introduces this with the words 'Sometimes it's hard to be the one left behind, when the person you love decides it's right to go to war.'

That's a theme in others of my songs and writings.