I seek you only, shriek your name
Until the wind picks up my cries,
And sends them reeling through the skies
To find and bring you back to me,
My love, my life eternally.
***********
In the Glen
Looking into the crystal,
The dark waves falter.
I can breathe the air 'round us
Rising like an altar.
On the dark and moonless night,
Wish upon a star
While the cold wind shakes the trees
And calls us from afar.
On the whispering carrousel,
In circles we will ride,
Hearts in autumn fantasies,
While scarlet flows the tide.
Winsome wonder flutters wings,
Making melodies
In the ruins of our hearts,
Across the silent seas.
We have touched, our souls entwined,
Our hearts have become one,
How do we now separate
From what we have become?
Mystical and marvelous,
Bonds of steel and wire,
How tight its grip upon us now,
How hot the raging fire.
In the swiftness of the hour,
Underneath the trees,
Draw us there again, sweet muse;
Love, never set us free.
**********
Katie Morrell
Was a wind softly blowin'
Across the green grass,
I laid her down gently
And her love I did ask,
When all of the sudden
She started to scream,
The rock in my hand
Seemed like only a dream.
Sweet Katie Morrell,
Who died without warnin',
Lyin' pallid and cold
'Mongst the lilies and mud,
Twisted and lifeless
In the stain of your blood.
The why they still ask
And I wish that I knew,
But like fog in the mist,
I haven't a clue,
For I loved this rare beauty,
Though glimpsed from afar.
She smiled like an angel;
She glowed like a star,
And I lived to possess her,
To make her my own.
'Twas a madness, I think,
Turned my heart into stone,
Now these grim walls close in,
Dank and cold as a cave
And my nostrils are filled
With the stench of the grave.
The truth lingers empty,
Untold by my fears;
Nerves crack like a bell
Through the long, dreary years.
And each night I descend
To my dark, sleepless hell
Reliving the murder
Of Katie Morrell.
**********
Lyda
Lyda lit the jagged candle,
Sheltering the trembling flame.
Someone in the darkest corner
Whispered out her name.
"Lyda, come to me," the voice said.
"Come with me to other shores."
But she stood, her pale face ghostly,
Just inside the door.
Then his pleading came more urgent,
"Come with me, my only love,
I have pledged my heart to you,
This I swear above."
Dark as ebon shone her long hair,
Plaited o'er the white night gown,
As she slowly walked towards him,
Bare feet made no sound.
Lyda sat upon the saddle,
Head pressed gently 'ginst his breast.
Close to dawn they stopped at Fordham
Just to take a rest.
And her father found them sleeping,
There together in the bed.
Pulling out his silver pistol,
Shot her lover dead.
His armed men gathered Lyda up,
Like a prisoner in their arms,
Back they rode across the miles,
Back to Lincoln Farm.
Lyda looks out of the window,
As the sun is going down
All these years past, words have left her,
Never to be found.
As the darkness descends slowly,
She waits, silent in the room;
Waits to hear a gentle tapping
Coming from the gloom.
Back behind her at the table
Sits her father with his men,
White bones glowing in the dim light,
Skulls with ghastly grins.
There before them is their last meal,
Turned to dust, the poisoned bread,
The wine glass filled with cobwebs,
Now a spider's bed.
Lyda lights the jagged candle,
Sheltering the trembling flame.
Someone in the darkest corner
Whispers out her name.
"Lyda, come to me," the voice says.
"Come with me to other shores."
But she stands, her pale face ghostly,
Just inside the door.
And the madness comes upon her,
Like it always has before.
"Lyda come to me," the voice says.
"Come forevermore."
**********
Mackey
Mackey came to Shackleford
With his sister Alice,
Who was to wed the handsome prince
And live within the palace.
He had great dreams of his prestige
And power he would gain,
As brother of the prince's wife
Soon all would fear his name.
On the way they met a dwarf
With beard as white as snow.
Mackey didn't like the dwarf
And shot him with his bow.
Fair Alice was enraged at this,
"What is it that you've done!"
Young Mackey shrugged his shoulders,
"It was just a bit of fun.
But now we must press on, my dear,"
Though Alice tried to balk.
"The prince is waiting for his bride,
There is no time to talk."
He drug her to the carriage,
The driver shook the reins.
Away they flew from wounded dwarf
Left bleeding in the rain.
Next day they pulled in at the gate,
All was in a tither,
Children running everywhere
But no adults were thither.
"What is it that is going on?"
Mackey shouted soon.
"Someone has shot the king," one said.
"They brought him in at noon."
Mackey thought 'How simply grand,
For now she'll be Queen Alice!'
They stopped at last before the door
And entered in the palace.
Down the long, dim room they strode,
Intent upon the throne,
But when they reached it Mackey shook
And uttered out a groan.
Upon the dais he beheld
The dwarf he'd left for dead,
Though looking rather weak and ill,
The crown was on his head.
Mackey swung next day at dawn,
Then Alice wed her prince
And Shackleford has never seen
Such a celebration since.
**********
My Enemy
Longer than any lover I have known,
Your passion has endured and surely grown.
More constant, more reliable than friend,
Upon your hatred I always can depend.
All through the night you'll try to take me down,
My savage heart may flinch, but I'll rebound.
You give me cause to live, my enemy.
Revenge, how cold, yet feverish it feels,
We stand apart, across the battlefield,
The hatred in my soul consumes me still,
'Til I can scarcely breathe. I feel the chill
Sweep over me and shiver with delight,
Conspiring with fate to take your life.
And who shall win and who shall lose, we'll see;
Here's wishing death to you, my enemy.
**********
Nivek
Melt the sun, in darkness dwell,
My Prince of Night, my King of Hell,
As solemn tolls the distant bell,
O, Tempter, speak who knows me well.
I see your eyes, so blue and pale,
They hold me captive in your spell.
O, Lover, seek my bosom's swell
And make my heart your citadel.
Lift silently the heavy veil
To touch my lips so thin and frail,
Your flesh, so cool, my thoughts curtail,
Your breath I breathe when you exhale.
Let heart beat fast, my sense assail.
The ecstasy as fangs impale.
Let sweet blood flow like scarlet ale,
My neck becomes your holy grail.
Here in your evil love, regale,
This fragile feast is yours, avail!
Let loose the beast within your shell
And make me yours, your Queen of Hell.
O night, so wanton, hear my wail;
O life, so cheap, let death prevail.
**********
Ragnor
Sit and drink the blood of evil,
Feel it coursing through your veins,
Satan's breath blows freely on you,
Death is waiting-Death and flames.
Shred the flesh and rip the sinew,
Crack the bone and muscle rend,
Slash the organs. Torn asunder,
All these weakling, fragile men.
On the throne of Ragnor, shining,
With the light of hell's vast store,
Trampling over town and village,
Driven madly, grasping more.
In your iron fist you wad it,
Twist it, tear it, crush it down,
'Til they bow before the master
On his throne beneath his crown.
**********
Revelations 26 - 27
The night birds are howling,
And the sea is a rage
That bursts on the beaches
In hundred foot waves.
There are dark clouds scowling,
Flashing over the moon
And thunder is clanging
Like a pan and spoon.
Look all around,
What do you see?
Is it the angel of death
Come calling on me?
Look all around,
What do you see?
The whole city's on fire
And it's time to leave.
The earth is a-trembling,
Spirits walk from the graves.
Eternal damnation
And nowhere is safe.
The centuries of warnings
Spurned as virtue grew numb,
Now the reapers stand ready,
The harvest has come.
Look all around,
What do you see?
Is it the angel of death
Come calling on me?
Look all around,
What do you see?
The whole world's on fire
And nowhere to flee.
**********
Rowena
Down in the depths of despair I did lay,
Feeling empty and callous and searching for prey.
She wandered along, with her face gold and gay
And I asked her to come to the garden to play.
She clapped and she squealed at the flowers so bright,
Her sweet dimpled cheeks lit up with delight,
And she danced down the paths in the watery light,
With no inkling of danger, no notion of fright.
Then I smiled and called her, she willingly came.
My blood was on fire; it burned like a flame,
I beckoned her closer, "Please tell me your name."
She whispered, "Rowena." I said, "What a shame."
Then I showed her my knife, her eyes opened wide,
So softly she whimpered, so softly she cried.
I plunged it in deeply, it cut side to side,
And I left her alone in the fresh crimson tide.
The headlines screamed 'Murder! An angel has flown
To heaven. A killer, with heart made of stone,
Has sent her soul winging.' Oh had they but known
How my soul it did wrench and my conscience did groan.
I cried to the walls and to God loudly prayed.
From my home in the cellar I staggered next day,
In the depths of despair, with the skies dull and grey,
Feeling empty and callous and looking for prey.
**********
Savor
What is life?
This fainting heart, this hollow breath,
This fragile hand that claws at death,
The blood that pulses through the vein,
Warm and sweet and comforting.
I am your nightmare; let me feed,
Taste your sweet essence, make you bleed.
I'm your desire; what you need.
Let me savor you.
I am your promise; I'm your fear,
Let all misgivings disappear.
Tremble, my darling, I am here.
Let me savor you.
I am your passion; I'm your sin.
Yield to me softly; let me in.
Unholy lover, rise again.
Let me savor you.
Come to me.
Let me savor you.
Let me feed.
**********
Shouting through the Noise
Teetering on the brink of madness,
Fingers slipping on the rail,
Yellow eyes, like flames, were flickering
Lost behind the scarlet veil.
Gnarled talons, like claws, were grasping
At the shreds of sanity
Tattered and clinging all around her,
Whispers of cold reality.
Where do they come from, all the answers,
Screaming in one single voice.
Like an alarm bell, shrill and cutting,
They come shouting through the noise.
As each footstep slips and totters
And each sharp cry rents the sky,
She is reaching, but no one aids her,
She is lost among the noise.
**********
The Fairy Ring
The fairy ring's lit in the pale early spring
With lanterns of dew hung on frail golden string.
The tinkling of bells on the west breezes ring,
While far in the valley are heard songs they sing.
For the fairies come out to dance and to play
As soon as the dusk says farewell to the day,
As soon as cruel Winter has fled on his sleigh
And the Mistress of Summer is fast on her way.
The folks in the valley can hear the sweet song,
The sound of the lyre and the harp all night long.
They tip back the bottle and taste the brew, strong,
A toast to the fairies, eternal their throng.
**********
The Fall of Gurron
The lake was alive with the flames of Gurron,
The sky crawled, helpless, across the black trees.
The drums tore the heavens with the roar of their vengeance
While the cries of the Sandrians rolled to the sea.
The symbol of death rode high on their banners
As they swept like a tide over the plain,
While the great walls of Gurron lay shattered before them
And the screams of the dieing were drowned in the rain.
Their spears were all bloody; their shields were battered,
Their souls were on fire; their hearts were enflamed,
Their faces were ice cold, their eyes hard and bitter,
As they rode like a savage wind, fierce and untamed.
Away from the ruins, away from Gurron,
Once the symbol of majesty in the west,
Now crushed and defeated, forever forgotten,
With nothing to mark her, not even her crest.
**********
The Haunting
Laura's standing in the hallway -
Climb the narrow, twisting stair.
Laura's looking out the window,
Brushing back her scarlet hair.
No one hears her when she's walking;
No one sees her passing by,
Just a shadow briefly pausing -
Just a stifled, lonely cry.
Laura's gazing through the french door
At the dark and angry sky,
At the clouds that hang like sorrow;
Laura shakes her head and sighs.
From the balcony she flutters
Like a moth, her gown, like wings,
Flowing 'round her, floating downward;
A pale white flower meets death's sting.
Laura's lying in the darkness,
Broken, shattered in the weeds.
Haunting echoes fill the autumn
With the moaning of the trees.
Laura's standing in the hallway
With her gown an eerie white,
Her sad face is pale and ghostly
As she walks again tonight.
**********
The River of Death
The river of death flows down to the sea,
Down to the sea that flows with blood,
Scarlet it froths as it whirls 'neath the sun
And cuts out the banks of thick, black mud.
The river of death flows down to the sea,
Down to the sea, salted with tears.
Forever crashing on rocks of despair,
Hollow it's vict'ry o'er mortal fears.
The river of death flows down to the sea,
Down to the sea in fragile ships,
Go we all alone, with troubles to spare
And our crosses firmly in our grip.
The river of death flows down to the sea,
Down to the sea never ending.
Looking only ahead, not left nor right,
We sail on wherever it's wending.