[Verse 1] My friend left in twenty-two, She calls me crying — Says she can’t sleep, She dreams of a home That isn’t there anymore. I tell her, You did the right thing. You have your children — They must grow, Go to school, Drive you crazy, Eat too much candy, Get lost in their phones, Make a mess in their rooms. [Chorus] Put down your roots, Learn the language, Live — for God’s sake — Without guilt, Without the past. Look ahead — don’t turn to the ruins. The past is gone. Your kids — they have only you. [Verse 2] Air raid siren, Anxiety, No air to breathe, Tight in the chest. She asks — “And you?” And I say — I have no children, Only roots. My roots go deep. My house still stands. Every spring I plant new trees, Praying For the living and the dead. Upward and downward — My roots grow deeper, My branches hold the sky. [Bridge] The war goes on, Birds fly, Rockets fly, Thoughts fly, Prayers fly. Souls of the fallen Stand like a forest — Like a border. Every spring I plant trees. Some are tall now, They bear sweet apples. Walnuts fall in the grass, Leaves fall and rot, Stars cling to branches, And the roots — they touch The heart of the earth. You cannot pull them out Without the heart itself. [Verse 3] I stroke the rough bark And whisper — Together we’ll sink into the soil, Together We’ll fly to the warm lands. I listen — The trees are silent. It’s December. The air raid ends. [Outro] I want to tell her, “Don’t cry. We’ll rebuild your home. We’ll plant a garden. You’ll have a cat again. The house spirit will return, Mice will rustle in the porch, And swallows will come back.” But I only say — “Sleep, my friend. Tomorrow We both have work.”
