Roses From Rootstock

William Overington

She is in the television studio with an audience. She is again starring in the creative writing scenario wherein a television company has decided to make a television programme series called English Volksmusik which is to be shown on Thursday evenings. This is the second of the two songs which she has been contracted to perform. For this song she is singing alone. She is wearing a long slightly pink dress, the colour of wild roses. This is a slow, romantic ballad. She has words to sing to herself at the introduction and between verses in order to keep good timing. There will be a strings orchestra playing all the time. In the introduction and between verses a trumpet soloist will feature. The stage is decorated with plants. There is a clear, wide walkway for her. She walks forward. Music plays.

          (Now roses from rootstock)
          (Are high in the air)
In a garden
A grafted rose
Was once set to grow
Fine genes on the top
With rootstock below
Yet a shoot from the rootstock
Took a chance that was there
Now roses from rootstock
Are high in the air
Yes roses from rootstock
Are high in the air
          (Yes roses from rootstock)
          (Are high in the air)
Now the stem from the rootstock
Then started to branch
With long stems abounding
And forming an arch
And the sprays of the flowers
Now interlink
And the roses from rootstock
Are delicate pink
Yes the roses from rootstock
Are delicate pink
          (Yes the roses from rootstock)
          (Are delicate pink)
The roses from rootstock
Are quite simple flowers
Their quietness is such
One could watch them for hours
And the roses from rootstock
Of such simple kind
Give quiet contentment
And peace in the mind
They give quiet contentment
And peace in the mind
          (They give quiet contentment)
          (And peace in the mind)
 
Song lyrics and creative setting written by William Overington
Copyright 1998 William Overington