Flowers are Red

      Harry Chapin


              The little boy went first day of school
              He got some crayons and started to draw
              He put colors all over the paper
              For colors was what he saw
              And the teacher said.. What you doin' young man
              I'm paintin' flowers he said
              She said... It's not the time for art young man
              And anyway flowers are green and red
              There's a time for everything young man
              And a way it should be done
              You've got to show concern for everyone else
              For you're not the only one

              And she said...
              Flowers are red young man
              Green leaves are green
              There's no need to see flowers any other way
              Than the way they always have been seen

              But the little boy said...
              There are so many colors in the rainbow
              So many colors in the morning sun
              So many colors in the flower and I see every one

              Well the teacher said.. You're sassy
              There's ways that things should be
              And you'll paint flowers the way they are
              So repeat after me.....

              And she said...
              Flowers are red young man
              Green leaves are green
              There's no need to see flowers any other way
              Than the way they always have been seen

              But the little boy said...
              There are so many colors in the rainbow
              So many colors in the morning sun
              So many colors in the flower and I see every one

              The teacher put him in a corner
              She said.. It's for your own good..
              And you won't come out 'til you get it right
              And all responding like you should
              Well finally he got lonely
              Frightened thoughts filled his head
              And he went up to the teacher
              And this is what he said.. and he said

              Flowers are red, green leaves are green
              There's no need to see flowers any other way
              Than the way they always have been seen

              Time went by like it always does
              And they moved to another town
              And the little boy went to another school
              And this is what he found
              The teacher there was smilin'
              She said...Painting should be fun
              And there are so many colors in a flower
              So let's use every one

              But that little boy painted flowers
              In neat rows of green and red
              And when the teacher asked him why
              This is what he said.. and he said

              Flowers are red, green leaves are green
              There's no need to see flowers any other way
              Than the way they always have been seen.