Ballad 1: The Darkness

Part I

In the Year of Our Lord, MMVII, on the XXVIIth Day of the XIth Month;

TO THE DARKNESS:

Darkening darkness
Stay your ground,
Fill me no longer
Before I drown!

Darkening darkness
You immobilize sound
And paralyze me
When no help can be found.

Darkening darkness
Like tar and like pitch
Pray, let me alone
And let me resist!

Darkening darkness
I see we’ve agreed;
With the last words I spoke,
"My soul's yours for some peace."

Part II

Darkening darkness
Let go of my soul!
I cannot feel my heartbeat
In your frigid fist’s hold!

Darkening darkness
Now I am dead.
What have you accomplished,
Now I lie cold in bed?

Pale, sweet Morning
You shall still come,
Though my soul was lost,
In sweet Light I have won.

Though my body is dead
And soul wrought in chains,
Your light splits the darkness
As lightning splits rain.

And I am new again.
I am new again.

Darkening darkness
Don’t you see that I’ve won?
Now I am free, but your
Sick hunger lives on.