The Gardener

2 days ago by @nwakeman

Liner Notes

This song is written about a friend of mine with a chronic illness called VHL. I tried to express the grief, hope, and resilience that I see in her.
#personwithpiano #friend #chronicillness

Lyrics

This tree grows dead in my garden
It's fruit droops low to the earth
It threatens rot upon my crops
The sickly seed to death gives birth
I set my mind to the task
To prune what grows without life
Whether with scalpel, whether axe
Branches to roots, get it under the knife

Cut cut cut away
This tree that I had grown
I grieve, I cry, I bleed, I break
The labor's loss and pain is my own
Scrape scrape scrape away
No decay to remain in my soul
Remove every piece, ev'ry broken part
All that's left is an empty hole

This hole's not alone in my garden
It's circled by many just as dour
Scars that show other trees I had
Before their own fruit too turned sour
I miss these trees, miss their sparkled leaves
They danced in this sunlight space
But nothing else in my garden could grow
If their roots remained in their place

Cut cut cut away
This tree that I had grown
I grieve, I cry, I bleed, I break
The labor's loss and pain is my own
Scrape scrape scrape away
No decay to remain in my soul
Remove every piece, ev'ry broken part
All that's left is an empty hole

So am I left with a garden of holes
A land with nothing to grow, only take
These holes remain, yet so do I
And the beauty that I can remake
With armfuls of love, great flowers I spread
Every corner is filled with joyous hues
Learned strength I raise a home
Joined by the loves I choose

So come to my garden friends
There are flowers for all to share
The scars you bear, I have mine too
Let's build a life upon our love

Let's build a life upon our love

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