Laurel Hill Cemetery is a famous and beautiful historic cemetery located near Marion's Philadelphia home.  She was moved when reading about the origins of the cemetery in the 1840s.  One of the men who would later found the cemetery had experienced the tragic death of his daughter who was buried in the City of Philadelphia Cemetery, which was very crowded at the time.  A few months later,   when he went to mourn at her grave  he could not find it.  This led to him to the founding of the Laurel Hill Cemetery with two other prominent Philadelphia gentleman. While the song is about the loss of a child, its also about the loss of living in the present, with those we love. 

Lyrics

By Marion Halliday 2015 - all rights reserved

V. 1 - You'd climb Laurel Hill in the early morning sun,
Dangle from the tall trees and watch that water run.
Never dream that the frost would one day come,
or your breath hang like a white cloud, or the leaves turn brown.

V 2 - Starts with a simple thing, nothing to alarm.
A slight chill or a dull ache, theres chores to be done.
The cows to milk, and its time to harvest corn.
We'd say hard work won't wait, you can rest when you're done.

Cho: Shadows on the water, voices in the wind - Gone in a moment, as if they've never been.
Once I brought you foxglove, wish that I could still - I'm looking, I can't find you on Laurel Hill.

V 3 - How fast a small cough can turn so very bad-
The blossom of youth was all you would have.
In a bed of foxglove you now rest,
With lilac for your bonnet and lilies for your dress.

V 4 - I turn the soil from dawn until dusk.
Looking for solace in the toil and the dust.
All I find is all I can feel when I walk to where you rest on Laurel Hill.

V 5  - I climb Laurel Hill in the fading of the sun.
I stand in the cool shade and watch that water run.
I dream of the day when I'll be resting still,
Beside you in the foxglove on Laurel Hill.