The clock went dumb, my thumb did break
The weeds all fished out of the lake
The sky was full with moon-white mist
The knock was knocking on my fist
The house went silent, ears spoke loud
Black fingers pointing at the crowd
That crowd of blessed and unblessed dead
Those wolves that on my chickens fed
The night was bright and fair I knew
The knights of wind an epic blew
Such was the cold of hill and dale
It froze away an old man’s tale
The clock said “stop and think of time”
Ticking through an unbound rhyme
Time to close your eyes and sleep
Time for secrets, dreams to keep
To this world that peace thus found
To this world there came a sound
Of threats and moans and howling dread
So Little Beth the Scripture read
The twig and nest did listen too
For they too feared the coming crew
They were men, no, beasts of dark
The clock went dumb, the wolves, the lark
That knock I heard our door did bear
Those leaves I heard a beast did tear
Troubled whirls came from the lake
Clutched at Beth my thumb did break
The clock said “stop and think of time”
Ticking through an unbound rhyme
Time to seek a place to hide
Time to escape with the tide
Their blades were hard and sharply sang
Their eyes were red, a filthy gang
Their fires caught the pines and oaks
The smoke carried the cries of hawks
Two gazelles frightened, shocked to heart
Thus fleeing from their old home’s hearth
Footsteps shone like a quiet swear
Of parting lovers’ “I’ll be there”
Our path was long, too long I say
To reach on foot the Morning Bay
Under the ash did Father find
His daughters still, in blood confined
The clock said “stop and think of time”
Ticking through an unbound rhyme
Time to close your eyes and sleep
Time to bury young maids deep
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