When the war began

When the war began, she worked in an office and played the violin on her own time

But the winter came in on marching feet, she met him and was gone

He was gallant, he was fine

Turned the summer days to wine

She came from a small town near Turino

She wore a white dress and the church was very large

In the town square a garden grew flowers that could push even through the snow

And like the flowers she was free

She had no one to please

The summer passed away, he was called to the front

Wrote two letters but no more

His child she could feel, but did not allow herself to have

And she remembered in the night a little girl in white

The war stood like a cloud with many brave officers and she knew them all

But their gallant white horses grew muddy and gray

And in the garden in the town

Marching soldiers pushed the flowers down

The war came to an end and there were no longer summer days or wine

And she worked in an office but did not play the violin on her own time