[HESTER LEGGETT]
Dear Bill
I’m afraid I’ve not got long to write
I’m off to Mary’s
You know how she feels about bridge night
It’s been a few days
I thought that I’d send a few lines

Next door’s greyhound came into the garden this morning
I think he likes the roses
They’re doing fine, I used some twine
To tie them up and rein them in
I hope they’ll bloom next spring
But you’ll see that for yourself

I’m following the instructions you left in your note:
“Please devote all your time to their care"
And I havе done, I swear
Except from thе talking, I’m not going to do that
‘Cause talking to roses is mad and you knew that
When you whispered sweet nothings to flowers
To make my dad cross, and me laugh
And it did

And why did we meet in the middle of a war?
What a silly thing for anyone to do
Your sister sends her love, of course
And your mother... is the same as ever
Diana’s piano is getting much better
Well, I say better, I really just mean louder
But as she tells me
That’s pretty much the same
Well, it makes a change from all of the noise and the sirens
And sometimes from all of the
Silence

With six rounds of “Jingle Bells”
And “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”, even though it is June
And it’s been a long summer
But she wants to be perfect for her older brother
She hopes you’ll be home again soon— no
She knows you’ll be home again soon

And it’s fine, and we’re fine
It’s nice to watch her get better with time
I suppose they just miss you
I know they just miss you
And I’m not going to argue with that

And why did we meet in the middle of a war?
What a silly thing for anyone to do
And I’m trying my best to write everything down
To fill in the gaps so that when you’re around
It’ll be like you’d never been gone
As if you’d been all along
‘Cause you can’t just miss out on the songs

And to tell you the truth, Tom
Your roses aren’t thriving
Without you they’re dull
Don’t worry, they’re surviving
But I’ve tried all the tricks that you put in your note
And I’ve watered the soil ‘til it started to float
And no, I’ve not talked to them
I’m not going to talk to them
There’s something you have that I just don’t have

And since you’re off gallivanting it’s only fair that you know
That your roses, quite frankly, were the first things to go
And no, you’re not gallivanting
I don’t mean gallivanting
It’s just frustrating for you to be right
When I have to do both the sides of this fight
But it’s good to hear you
Even just in my head

And the roses just miss you
I know they just miss you
And I’m not going to argue with that
There’s so much to do when you come back
And I know that they say that it’s all for a cause
Our brave boys out fighting a war to end wars
But it’s like they don’t see that when you’re far from me
Our roses don’t get the conversation they need
Which just seems unfair
I’m stuck here and you’re there
I suppose I just miss you
I know I just miss you
Even now I still miss you

And why did we meet in the middle of a war?
What a silly thing for anyone...