I posted the original version of this on Forum 3. Vic came in with some poignant, wonderful changes to the lyric and then agreed to do the music! I’ve posted the original lyric below the new one.
This is a true story about my son and his teacher.
Thanks so much, Vic, for expressing this so beautifully and tenderly!

Unfinished Business SoundCloud Link

Unfinished Business SoundClick Link

He’d promised to finish those flowers and trees
in a painting his teacher assigned him to do
(she said) it’s coming ON well AND I REALLY AM PLEASED
and you will feel proud once our work is through

HE WAS seven years old, it was SO HARD to grasp
why she went up to heaven early next morning
His parents explained how LIFE DOESN’T LAST
and takes us sometimes without ANY warning

CHORUS
But…
Unfinished business
Weighed on his mind
Much like the life
THAT she left behind
The beauty they’d created
Stopped in its prime
Unfinished business
StOOD frozen in time

September brought with it a new art teacher
BUT HE COULDN’T GET OVER old promises made
He drew ANGELS AND BIRDS BUT NEVER COULD REACH HER
THOUGH something inside him would not let it fade

BRIDGE
Two years WENT BY he found the painting in a drawer
and HE knew he was ready to complete his chore

SO he took a thin BRUSH and carefully PAINTED
NEATLY between the flowers and trees
“Memorial of Mrs. Bull” it STATED
finally finished, FINALLY free

REPEAT CHORUS

CHORUS
Unfinished business
Weighed on his mind
Much like the life
THAT she left behind
The beauty they’d created
Stopped in its prime
Unfinished business
WAS FINISHED WITH TIME

(c) 2014, Vic Arnold and Lisa Gundling


ORIGINAL VERSION FROM FORUM 3:
Unfinished Business

He’d promised to finish those flowers and trees
in a painting his teacher assigned him to do
She’d said it’s coming along very well
and you will feel proud once our work is through

At just seven years old it was hard to grasp
why she went up to heaven early next morning
His parents explained how death comes along
and takes us sometimes without much warning

CHORUS
But…
Unfinished business
Weighed on his mind
Much like the life
She’d left behind
The beauty they’d created
Stopped in its prime
Unfinished business
Stands frozen in time

September brought with it a new art teacher
and he tried not to think of old promises made
Though he drew faces not flowers and trees
something inside him would not let it fade

REPEAT CHORUS

BRIDGE
Four years later he found the painting in a drawer
and knew he was ready to complete his chore

REPEAT CHORUS

He took a thin pencil and carefully wrote
a simple message between the flowers and trees
“Memorial of Mrs. Bull” it read
finally finished at last he felt free

REPEAT CHORUS
(c) 2014, Lisa Gundling