The Gardener
Cultivating Life's Beauty: The Gardener's Perspective
Lyrics
There're all kinds of roses
Various types of experiences or opportunities
But none are as handsome as the ones
Nothing is as impressive as the ones you've cultivated
That you own hands have grown
Refers to the beauty created through personal effort
They bring as much hope
They provide optimism and positivity
Leave as much satisfaction
Offer a sense of fulfillment comparable to anything else
As anything that I've ever known
Expresses the emotional significance of the speaker's experiences
But it ain't in their petals
The real value is not in their appearance
That I'm seeking the fortune
Desire for success lies in challenges and difficulties
It's in the weeds and the hedges and lawns
Mentions various elements of a fortunate life
Of the fortunate people
Describes people who avoid facing the passage of time
Who can't stand in the gardens
Those who avoid acknowledging the inevitable
And feel only time marching on
Feeling the relentless progression of time
With the world on a string
Having everything under control and easily accessible
To remind them of where they can go
Constant reminders of opportunities and potential
And what they ought to be
Knowing one's purpose and potential
Without a whole lot to say
Little communication with the person responsible for upkeep
To the fella they pay
Refers to paying someone to maintain their surroundings
To cut the grass growing underneath their feet
The person responsible for cutting the grass
A rose can't see its own beauty
A rose is oblivious to its own attractiveness
Or feel what it's meant to symbolize
Unable to comprehend its symbolic meaning
Doesn't stop and smell anything on its journey
Doesn't take time to appreciate its journey
From the soil to the light
From the origin in the soil to reaching the light
Just wants the best for itself and its family
Desire for the best for oneself and family
And God help me so do I
Expresses a similar desire in the speaker
And so does everybody
Shared sentiment among everyone
So I head out each morning
Commencing each day with positivity
With a smile and a wave
Greeting others with happiness
For whomever looks up from their work
Offering a friendly gesture to observers
'Cause who knows in a while
The uncertainty of the future, potentially affecting the speaker
It could be my own child
The possibility that the observer might be the speaker's child
With the world on a string
Similar to lines 15-21, but emphasizing a female perspective
To remind her of where they can go
Emphasizes the potential and purpose for the female observer
And what she ought to be
Understanding what she should aspire to be
Without a whole lot to say
Similar to lines 18-20, but from a female perspective
To the fella she pays
Refers to the person responsible for maintaining surroundings
To cut the grass growing underneath her feet
Similar to lines 20 and 38, from a female perspective
May green grow the grass undernath our children's feet
Expressing a wish for prosperity and growth for future generations
Comment