Paint The Roses Red

Brush stroke

Don’t tell

White rose

Red spell

Paint fast

Heads low

Queen comes

Don’t show

Garden looked pretty till the cards got tense Three little soldiers by

a white rose fence Paint on their gloves and panic in breath

Trying to hide one tiny offense They said hush girl,

don’t make sound If she sees white,

heads hit ground Red on the petals,

red on the gown Red little lies all over town

Brush left, brush right Cover that mistake tonight Smile wide,

stand polite Queen don’t care what truth looks like

Every rose got a secret

Every thorn got a name

Everybody looks loyal

When they’re shaking in shame

Paint the roses red Before she sees the white

Cover up the garden Hide the fear in plain sight Paint the

roses red Keep your pretty head

If the Queen says wrong Then we dance till we’re dead Paint,

paint, don’t stop Red drops,

bass knock Paint, paint,

stay low Royal blood in the rose glow

Red, red, roses Everybody poses

Red, red, roses Nobody exposes

Brush, brush, hurry Don’t let the Queen worry Red,

red, roses Fear in full bloom

I asked why and the cards turned pale One dropped paint in

a crooked trail Another said rules here bite like nails Then the

trumpet screamed through the velvet veil Footsteps loud from the palace side

Heartbeats marching in perfect time All that red couldn’t hide the lie

But it sure made the garden shine Queen in the distance,

crown too bright Card soldiers froze in the red moonlight I stood

there watching wrong turn right Wonderland paints over every crime

If the rose was white

Was it born to blame?

If we change its color Does it change its name?

If fear makes beauty

Is the beauty true?

If I paint myself red Will she spare me too?

Paint the roses red Before she sees the white

Cover up the garden Hide the fear in plain sight

Paint the roses red Keep your pretty head If the Queen says

wrong Then we dance till we’re dead

Paint, paint, don’t stop Red drops,

bass knock Paint, paint,

stay low

Royal blood in the rose glow

Brush stroke Don’t tell White rose Red spell Queen comes Heads low

Now the whole garden Knows