Lyrics

Little While Rose


Down in the Butts, men are loosing their arrows
Honing their skills with the bow
The fields go untouched now by plough and by harrow
There'll be no more crops, if there's no men to sow

The calling for arms echoes out 'cross the nation
It's fealty the Gentry demand
Loyalty driven by rank and by station
The high-born fight, for title and land

Great armies are forming all over the land
Old Henry they stand to oppose
Men follow allegiances under a flag
My love wears a little white rose


Chorus

Sweet smell the rose,
That I placed 'neath my pillow, at my nightly repose
Oh, my heart it grows
For the love of the man, who gave me the little white rose



I am an archer in Edward's great army
Travelling, my feet awful sore
We soldiers go marching through town and through village
We eat what we can, and we sleep on the floor

Many lay down in the arms of another
Turn-their-mind-from-the war, I suppose
Faithful and true, I left my love my favour
Now she's holding my Little White Rose


Repeat Chorus








We scarce make a meal, and our bellies go empty
Armies have ransacked our stores
I pray for an ending to all of this suffering
We'll be begging by All Saints, the wolf at the door


I miss my true love with each day that passes
And daily my fear for him grows
I sit by the fireside, fists clenched in frustration
My tears fall on my little white rose

Repeat Chorus

Bridge

In darkness preparing for battle
In silence we wait for the morn
We pray for our souls and that we'll be returning
Then send arrows flying, at the breaking of dawn……

Riff


I look to the South, I'm awaiting my lover
How long, my God only knows
As time travels on, my hope is eternal
I whisper his name, to my Little White Rose

Many years gone now, I married a good man
My life's fading, my children have grown
My husband beside me, to comfort my passing
As we share my last breath, I can still smell the rose

Repeat Chorus x2

© Phil Marshall 2022