When the war began, she worked in an office and played the violin on her own time
But the winter came in on marching feet, she met him and was gone
He was gallant, he was fine
Turned the summer days to wine

She came from a small town near Turino
She wore a white dress and the church was very large
In the town square a garden grew flowers that could push even through the snow
And like the flowers she was free
She had no one to please

The summer passed away, he was called to the front
Wrote two letters but no more
His child she could feel, but did not allow herself to have
And she remembered in the night a little girl in white

The war stood like a cloud with many brave officers and she knew them all
But their gallant white horses grew muddy and gray
And in the garden in the town
Marching soldiers pushed the flowers down

The war came to an end and there were no longer summer days or wine
And she worked in an office but did not play the violin on her own time