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Written in June 2000 for the funeral of Claire Deane, a National Parks and Wildlife officer and long-time fan of Penelope's who died tragically when a routine burnoff in the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park got out of control.

lyrics

Bush Bloom
© Penelope Swales

Does a flower hesitate to bloom
Knowing a blaze in the bush may well consume
How does a flower face the flame?
Does it know in its secret heart
The bush must burn to bloom again?

When the birds whisper your name
You will find the strength to face it
Find the strength to face the unknown
When the scorched earth is soothed by cooling rain
You will find the strength to be there
Find the strength to be where you are now

You have become part of these trees
Your life force can be felt within the ashes of these leaves
That will become the new soil of the land
Where deep-sleeping tubers
Send forth their life again

When the wind whispers her name in our ears
We will find the strength to face it
Find the strength to face that she’s gone
When our scorched hearts are soothed by healing tears
We will find the strength to be here
Find the strength to be who we are now

A flower bloomed with its roots in the soil
That also strived to understand the sky
Looking for the logic in the stars
Yearning for the logic in our hearts
A star in the grass, echoes a star in the sky
We all strive to understand this thing?
Do you realise the beauty that you are
In the grass or in the sky, sweet star

A flower only blooms for a short time
To gladden the hearts of those who would appreciate
Such subtle beauty in a life
Our hearts and blackened and austure
But sure as new growth follows fire
We will once more come into bloom

When the birds whisper your name
You will find the strength to face it
Find the strength to face the unknown
When the scorched earth is soothed by cooling rain
You will find the strength to be there
Find the strength to be where you are now

When the wind whispers her name in our ears
We will find the strength to face it
Find the strength to face that she’s gone
When our scorched hearts are soothed by healing tears
We will find the strength to be here
Find the strength to be who we are now

And in the warm months of the year
If you look closely, you will find her here
Where Christmas Bells are blooming
They sing her soul
They sing the soul of her red hair
Sweet Claire.

credits

from 'Archive': Demos, Out​-​takes and One​-​offs 1995​-​2000, released January 7, 2001
Recorded at Fortissimo Studios in July 2000 Engineered by Siiri Metsar
Guitar, vocals, stomp box - Penelope Swales

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Penelope Swales Boolarra, Australia

Penelope Swales has been articulating the human condition with passion and humour for 30+ years. She sings about politics, love, friendship, the unbreakable bond between us and dogs and the impact of the Internet on society. She won the 2019 Alistair Hulett Songs for Social Justice Award with “Cambridge Analytica”. “The Ides of March in Christchurch" was short-listed for the same award in 2020. ... more

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