[Verse 1]
In the garden of our family you stood — the oldest tree,
You drew water with your roots, feeding every branch and me.
Callused hands that kneaded bread, the kettle's soft steam rise,
A humming lullaby at dusk beneath those weathered skies.
[Pre-Chorus]
When evening leaned its shadow in, you lit a little flame,
A quiet way of holding us, speaking each of us by name.
[Chorus — Lead / Choir Call & Response]
You are our sunflower, turning home to light, (Choir: we carry you)
You are the light that never fades tonight, (Choir: we carry you)
Your heartbeat threads through every day, (Choir: we carry you)
A steady hand to guide our ways — (Choir: we carry you)
You are our sunflower, turning home to light. (Choir: we carry you)
[Verse 2]
You carried all our burdens, let your laughter fill the room,
You mended torn-up stories, and you chased away the gloom.
The smell of coffee in the morning, flour dust on your sleeve,
Even in the quiet hours you taught us how to believe.
[Pre-Chorus — Shortened for Gospel Drive]
And when the winds grew colder, you only drew us near,
A song that turned the fear away — your voice we still can hear.
[Chorus — Variation / Leader builds]
You are our sunflower, turning home to light, (Choir: we carry you)
You are the light that keeps our days, (Choir: we carry you)
Your roots run deep — we carry you always, (Choir: we carry you)
Turn to your sun, like a faithful bloom, (Choir: we carry you)
You are our sunflower, turning home to light. (Choir: we carry you)
[Bridge — Verbatim lines woven for impact]
Every stitch, every prayer you left, a ribbon in the night,
Strings hum softly underneath, lifting what you taught us right.
No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets. (Spoken echo from choir)
And like a sunflower that turns to her God when he sets,
We keep your gaze, we keep your grace — your lessons we confess.
[Final Chorus — Sparse then Full]
(Just piano, single voice)
You are our sunflower, turning home to light,
You are the light that never fades.
(Enter upright bass, soft Hammond)
Your heartbeat threads through every day,
(Choir joins, strings swell)
Your roots run deep — we carry you.
We lift your name, we keep your flame,
In every dawn we feel you come again.
(Full choir, organ swell)
You are our sunflower, turning home to light, (Choir: we carry you)
You are the love that keeps our days. (Choir: we carry you)
[Outro — Prayer & Closure — Verbatim]
With all my love, happy first anniversary of your passing.
May you continue to rest in the Lord. Amen.
[Production Notes — for producers]
- Dynamic arc: sparse (piano, solo voice) → add bass/Hammond → full choir and strings for final chorus.
- Place the verbatim lines (bridge and outro) on exposed vocal moments: spoken echo on “No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets.” and gentle, reverent delivery for the final prayer line.
- Choir echoes “we carry you” as the gospel call-and-response tag throughout choruses.
