Emily Shore 1819-1839
From the album Milk and Scissors
[INTRO]
G
[VERSE 1]
G Em
She'd been coughing up blood since the dogwoods bloomed
C D Em
Seventeen that spring and confined to her room
G Em
At night her heart pounded against her chest
C D Em
Death, like a bird, was building its nest
[CHORUS]
D Am
And so, on the last day of her short life,
C G
Emily called for her father's penknife
D Am
She sawed at her head till the floor pooled with hair
C Em
and braided a watch chain for father to wear
[VERSE 2]
G Em
She'd laughed at the graveyard on one sip of wine
C D Em
and kept a pet duck till the cat crushed its spine
G Em
But, waltzing one night in a red velvet dress,
C D Em
she noticed a whistling down in her chest
[CHORUS]
D Am
And so, on the last day of her short life,
C G
Emily called for her father's penknife
D Am
She sawed at her head till the floor pooled with hair
C Em
and braided a watch chain for father to wear
[VERSE 3]
G Em
Propped up on pillows, she watched the snow fall,
C D Em
trying to picture an end to it all
G Em
By spring there'd be picnics and merry-go-rounds,
C D Em
but she'd be nothing but bones in the ground
[CHORUS]
D Am
And so, on the last day of her short life,
C G
Emily called for her father's penknife
D Am
She sawed at her head till the floor pooled with hair
C Em
and braided a watch chain for father to wear
Em