"The Roses" (1884)
Quartet for Ladies' Voices
Words and Music
by George Frederick Root, 1820-1895

Cincinnati: John Chuch & Co., 66 West 4th Street
[Source: pg. 87 from "Our Song World" by George
Frederick Root and C. C. Case]

1. The roses, the roses, 
Are blushing bright and gay; 
The lily bells are bending low 
Beneath the sungod’s ray; 
The pansies spread their velvet leaves 
Beneath the smiling skies; 
And dewdrops lie like tears within 
The violet’s meek blue eyes, 
And dewdrops lie like tears within 
The violet’s meek blue eyes, 
Yes lie like tender tears within 
The violet’s meek blue eyes.

2. The roses, the roses, 
How bright their soft leaves shine; 
While stareyed daisies peep beneath 
The dainty eglantine; 
The blackbird whistles on the bough 
With notes of joyous mirth, 
And  countless flowers sweetly bloom 
To deck the joyous earth, 
And countless flowers sweetly bloom 
To deck the joyous earth, 
Yes, bloom, yes gladly, sweetly bloom 
To deck the joyous earth.