In The Empty Garden

"What happened here
As the New York sunset disappeared
I found an empty garden among the flagstones there
Who lived here
He must have been a gardener that cared a lot
Who weeded out the tears and grew a good crop
And now it all looks strange
It's funny how one insect can damage so much grain"

He wrote songs that filled my youth
even though his band was gone
two years after my birth
made me laugh, made me cry
and made me realize what life was worth

Admired the way he walked away
from the trappings of being a rock star
to raise his second son
preferred baking bread to getting smashed in a bar

It could be said he felt guilty for the first son
not being around as Julian grew
their bond was starting to mend with maturity
how much only a few ever knew

He give the group that became famous world wide
the identity and the quick wit
when Paul and George added harmony
it seemed like the perfect fit

He wasn't afraid to address social injustice
idealism was easy to find
even resented attempts to muffle his beliefs
as if they were straight jackets on his mind

So even though it has been thirty two years
and George spelled it out in "All Those Years Ago"
I don't mind saying to anyone who can hear
Hey man I loved you so

"Johnny can't you come out to play in your empty garden"



Lyrics courtesy of Elton John/Bernie Taupin