The Crystal Rose

Verse 1

She wore a silver locket and a ribbon in her hair,

Walked barefoot through the wildflowers like she never had a care.

He met her by the river on a warm September night,

And swore he'd love her forever underneath the porch light.

She said, "Boy, forever's fragile,

Like a promise made of glass."

He laughed and said, "Then hold me close,

And we'll make forever last."

Chorus

She's the crystal rose,

Beautiful but breakin',

Shinin' in the moonlight

With every petal achin'.

Heaven knows he loves her,

But love ain't always kind,

She's a crystal rose in a world of thorns,

And he's scared she'll shatter in his hands tonight.

Verse 2

Years went by like Sunday trains,

Slow enough to watch them leave.

They built a little house together

With a garden by the trees.

But he kept chasing overtime,

While she kept waiting by the phone.

He missed her mother's birthday dinner,

Then came home three days too late.

She said, "You promised you'd be with me."

He said, "I'm doing what I can."

Then he tossed his keys across the counter

And blamed her for not understanding.

Verse 3

The final crack came in November,

When she found the letter in his truck:

A job two states away, already signed,

A life he'd chosen without her.

She asked, "Were you ever gonna tell me?"

He stared down at the floor.

Then he said, "You always make this harder,"

And she couldn't hear one more.

She started packing up her suitcase

On a cold December night.

He said, "Baby, don't you leave me."

She whispered, "You left me long ago."

Then she kissed him through her tears

And turned and walked away.

Chorus

She's the crystal rose,

Beautiful but breakin',

Shinin' in the moonlight

With every petal achin'.

Heaven knows he loves her,

But love ain't always kind,

She's a crystal rose in a world of thorns,

And he's scared she'll shatter in his hands tonight.

Bridge

He found that silver locket

In a box beneath the bed,

And every word she ever whispered

Came rushin' through his head.

He drove until the sunrise

Painted gold across the road,

But sometimes you can't save a heart

By holdin' on too close.

Final Chorus

She's the crystal rose,

Still beautiful and breakin',

Somewhere past the mountains

Where the morning sun is wakin'.

Heaven knows he loved her,

Maybe that's enough sometimes.

She was a crystal rose he couldn't keep,

But she'll live forever in the corners of his mind.

Outro

And every year in September,

When the river starts to glow,

He leaves one rose beside the water...

For the girl he couldn't hold.