Roses

Am I the kind of brother who would leave you
 Standing on this lonesome railroad track?
 That's what I told you on the way to America
 I swore by our God I'd be coming back
 When the roses are blooming
 You can call me home
 And I will stay there forever
 My flesh and bone
 I wanted to see you that Christmas
 But I got a letter I was being sent to war
 I packed up the Bible that you gave me
 And I prayed for protection beneath the watch of the Lord
 When the roses are blooming
 You can call me home
 And I will stay there forever
 My flesh and bone
 There is a garden
 I can see it from my bed
 Reminds me of Ireland
 Flowering yellow and red
 I've been trying to write you but I keep stopping
 All I've got to say is war is hell
 I keep thinking about the soldiers coming at me
 Not the ones that shot me but the ones that I brought down myself
 And I don't think Jesus ever heard my prayer
 If there's a heaven, I ain't going there
 When the roses are blooming
 You can call me home
 And I will stay there forever
 My flesh and bone