Unkindly, kindly lover,

who once, by the wiles of song,

unbarred the night,

and led me, backwards, into that world of light

where only faithless hearts belong;

torn from that land of shadows,

turn to this world of shade,

where all that's done

is sheltered from the glances of a sun

which unmakes all that it had made.

Where even the damned find mercy,

where the deaf themselves have ears,

and all night long

sit listening to time's miseries turned to song,

weeping glad, eternal tears.

And lovers in love's embraces

lie wrapped in the arms of sleep,

dreaming one dream,

safe from those nightmare dreams the living dream--

and keep the vows true lovers keep.

Copyright 2010-2012 Paul Petrie