A Daydream Within a Dream

A thunderclap within the darkness of mine eyes
Split in two with light the tumultuous skies
Cleaving the heaving heavens into armies that stood
So deathly silent and still so that there could
From the heavens descend, through their quivering ranks
A regal visage, shaped it seemed from their rolling banks.

Descend she did, and dark was her pallor
And pride it seemed was her mark of valor
So loftily was held her radiant chin
And so elegant her hands so gently thin
That mine eyes were held firmly entranced
Whilst the earth itself for her sang and danced.

Gently – oh so gently! – her feet did softly sink
Into the velvet grass whereupon I did think
That my hideous mind cruelly deceived me
And that never could my fingers reach thee
Thou phantom that in the midst of a raging storm
upon this lonesome hill had taken thy form.

Of a rare beauty that far out weighted mine
She gazed softly at me, so that I did pine
To let flow through the valleys of mine fingers
Her midnight liquid locks that should teasing linger
And to caress forever within my longing hands
Her face that with laughter mysteriously danced.

But listen! – hear the silence that nature doth don!
It steps the tedious step of the gentle fawn.
Look! – see the hand of the mystery lady!
It embraces my face as that of a new-born baby.
Feel! – feel the energy that doth shimmer and lace
A ribbon that dances before my awe-struck face.

With a feeble motion her lips of crimson do part
So that through them shall blow a breath of the heart
A breath so that her voice of dark crystal doth say
“Thou shouldst know that I deeply love thee today,
today thou art mine to have and to hold
together today we shall live and be bold.”

A fire so fiercely burning kindled my breast
And the words I would say burst forth from my chest
“Say it is true oh thou woman of mystery!
Say it is true and forever shall I love thee
A miracle it seems that thou hast so chosen
A petty dreamer whose dim heart was yet frozen.”

“Come” said she, pondering not my pitiful words
“let us dance with fire now ‘midst the paths of the birds
like demons of dance we shall set blaze to the sky
so quick shall be our step, till the red sun doth die,
then we shall lie upon a soft bed of the earth
and gaze at the stars that shall dance with our mirth.”

“Come” whispered she, giving to me her velvet hand
“there is not much time before it crosses the land
its sinewy heads into each cave and wood
driving out any lingering light that could
threaten its foul and wearisome purpose
the spirit of darkness that whispers so close.”

Passion-filled then, we leapt ‘midst the waving grass
Fire in our eyes and our hearts, and so we passed
Amongst hills and vales and sprang into the clouds
Which with fire we infected with great leaps and bounds
So that they burned bright with a bloody crimson
Whilst the sun clung fast to the shadow horizon.

Soon the great orb breathed its last and gently fell
And dominion, to the sound of a tolling bell
Was somberly given to the spirit of dark
Who wisped through the shadows and did joyfully hark
The dismal sound echoing time and again
Tolling and rolling through the waiting vales and dens.