the beautiful south
artificial flowers
Alone in the world was poor little Anne  As sweet a young child as you'd find  Her parents had gone to their final reward  Leaving their baby behind   Did you hear this poor little child  Was only nine years of age  When mother and dad went away  Still she bravely worked  At the one thing she knew  To earn a few pennies a day   She made artificial flowers, artificial flowers  Flowers for ladies of fashion to wear  She made artificial flowers, artificial flowers  Fashioned from Annie's despair   With papers and shears, with wire and wax  She made up each tulip and mum  As snow flakes drifted in to her tenement room  Her baby little fingers grew numb   From artificial flowers, those artificial flowers  Flowers for ladies of high fashion to wear  She made artificial flowers, artificial flowers  Made from Annie's despair   And they found little Annie all covered with ice  Still clutching her poor frozen shears  Amidst all the blossoms, she had fashioned by hand  And watered with all her young tears   There must be a Heaven where little Annie can play  In heavenly gardens and bowers  And instead of halo, she'll wear round her head  A garland of genuine flowers   No more artificial flowers, artificial flowers  Flowers for ladies of society to wear  Those artificial flowers, artificial flowers  Fashioned from Annie's  Fashioned from Annie's despair