Autumn Roots

You loved the rose in June Petals on your sleeve Took the pretty parts home Like they were all you’d need You never dug the dirt Never watched it bleed Never saw the thorns Underneath the leaves But the cold winds come And the color falls What you call a glow Turns into a crawl Stay when it breaks Stay when it bends Love is the root Not just the stem (root not just the stem) Stay when it rains Stay to the end Loving the bloom is easy Loving the root is love I’ve seen hands let go At the first brown line When the garden turns From gold to tired wine But if you know the ground You don’t run in fear You kneel in the mess And you still stay here Because the cold winds come And the stems go bare What you called a dream Still needs you there Stay when it breaks Stay when it bends Love is the root Not just the stem (root not just the stem) Stay when it rains Stay to the end Loving the bloom is easy Loving the root is love So if I’m all cracked soil If I’m all bare hands If my best days leave And I don’t look grand Don’t love me for the show Love me for the deep Love me through the winter When I can’t bloom sweet Stay when it breaks Stay when it bends Love is the root Not just the stem (root not just the stem) Stay when it rains Stay to the end Loving the bloom is easy Loving the root is love (That’s love)