Beside the River

everybody was acting like it was a sunday
all dressed-up and heading on their way to mass
i pretended it was a Tuesday though it was totally not
instinctively walking down the street with my body intact

the light was pulling me near but i didn't know i was there
i knew when it was shining on me but the other times when
it wasn't i could barely see and felt panicky; auld lang syne
and nobody to kiss and what's been done and yet still to do

maybe during world war 2 some girl pinned a rose upon his
coat of blue as he asked her not to cry or linger after he put
a ring on her delicate shaking finger and said duty called his
name and either way he'd be when the roses bloomed (again)

"When the roses bloom again
Beside the river
And the mockingbird has sung his sweet refrain
In the days of auld lang syne
I'll be with you sweetheart mine
I'll be with you when the roses bloom again"


Best of Blooming Roses, John ...

(written over the past three days)