Beyond Walls A Lovely Flower Grew

Behind the castle walls a flower grew  
radiant color of blue petals came  
everyone who saw it breathlessly admired it  
many troubled souls lightened in the presence    
but the life of the flower was quite short  
for the walls where there for a reason  
men had to play war games  
during spring and summer    
was the best fighting season  
   
The flower got crushed, mangled and trampled  
cut off from the stem and root    
it's closest association would be hard material    
of the soldiers' sturdy boots  
but before it came to an ending    
a seed was blown and carried by a bird  
taken miles away to the castle's foes  
now the rest of the tale may seem absurd    
   
A new flower grew and was admired by a royal princess    
who had the curiosity to ask her father the king  
if we are both living why can't we be like the flower  
war and bloodshed it never does bring    
at first the king didn't give much thought to the question  
the words of babes just don't normally have much weight    
but late at night when no one was around    
he would ponder his kingdom's fate  
   
Decided war had gone on long enough    
wanted to find another way  
for he and his adversaries to conquer their issues    
so the children could grow without fear shadowing their play  
as a peace offering he sent the pretty flower  
with an offer to strike an agreement for peace    
   
The flower returned was marveled at the first castle  
memories of it's sister growing so fine and fair  
joy and laughter rang through both lands  
a peace that all were so eager to bare    
so perhaps we lovers of nature    
if we are true to the world around will find the needs  
of many outweigh the stabbed feelings of a few    
turn those swords into plowshares    
and give humanity the respect it is due