Will the Roses Bloom in Heaven
The Carter Family Lyrics

In a cold and cheerless garret
The setting of the song is in a place that is wintry and dreary. It's cold and uninviting.

In a room so dim, so lone
The room in which the little girl lives is dark and empty, giving her a sense of loneliness.

In a frosty wintry silence
There's no sound but the occasional moan coming from the little girl. Even the atmosphere seems still and lifeless.

There was heard a little moan
The sound of a little girl moaning brings attention to the scene and only adds to the dismal feel of the song.

And a little child is asking
The child's inquisitiveness and innocence attract attention to the ideas and questions that the child has.

At the break of the day
The question that the child is asking is not metaphorical, it's a literal question, it's early in the morning and the sun has just come up.

Will the roses bloom in heaven
The child is asking if something beautiful that she has only known on earth, can still be present in heaven.

Tell me, mama, tell me, pray
The child is imploring and beseeching their mother to answer their question and explain things to them.

Will the branches fill with blossoms
The child not only wonders about roses, but also posits the idea of spring flowers in general and how they measure up to heaven.

And in winter fill with snow
The child is asking if there is a winter season in heaven and wondering about the changes in weather and environment in the afterlife.

Now the room grows light and lighter
With the mother's explanation, there is light that illuminates the room, making everything brighter.

Everything has caught a glow
The light that is present seems to embrace and and light up everything leaving the child feeling warm and comfortable.

Heaven seems to stretch about her
The child, thanks to the mother's explanation, is able to imagine and see the world of heaven around her.

While dream faces come and go
In the child's mind, the images of the deceased beget a dreamlike state, where otherworldly characters fill the void and aid in the comfort that the child feels.

Then she whispered, birds are singing
The mother tells the child about something she can imagine that is reminiscent of times on Earth.

Psalms of melody
The sounds they hear are church or spiritual songs that help to build the atmosphere of heaven that the mother is describing.

And I see the roses blooming
The mother assures the child that what she imagines is true and that roses are present.

While the angels beckon me
The mother speaks of the angel's celestial presence and their call to her own arrival. It gives the girl comfort knowing that there is a divine entity waiting for her mother as she approaches death.

In the land so bright and fair
The mother assures the child that heaven is a place where everything is beautiful and welcoming.

There will be no parting there
The child will never have to worry about anything or anyone leaving her side in heaven, as permanent residence is guaranteed.

Goodbye, my little darling
As the mother prepares to depart and slip away into the afterlife, she bids a final and touching farewell to her child.

For death is lingering near
This line is a reminder that the mother's own passing is imminent.

And on the little pale face
The impact of the mother's words show on the child's face.

There was not one trace of fear
The explanation has brought about comfort, easing whatever concerns or fears the child had before asking her question.