Until Three
So we stayed up until three, like we would years ago
When her mind was an ember burning through a pretty bow,
And my mind was a fist clenching onto a gold coin,
And the world was stealing out
Past my thoughts, my pealing doubt,
For a conversation I wished that I could join.
I poured her some more tea, thinking that I loved her smile
The more for having missed it for such a bitter while.
I loved her for the chapters of her life I didn't read
When I was off writing mine,
Which, I feared she might divine,
Were hardly worth the paper or the ink I'd thought I'd need.
"I wish that you could stay," I said, a sword slicing the breeze.
"I wish we'd done this sooner," replied the ebbing seas.
Why didn't we? Why did I think it best to let her go?
Did I fear the yoke and cart,
Love dragged by a broken heart?
Did I think it easier to dance with lone sorrow?
We lay on her old futon, and her faded curtain swayed
As the wind lamented all it knew, and autumn made
A little fuss to disturb its shifting, thinning sleep,
While soft words and silken sighs
Seduced me with their ilk, and lies
That such a moment could be real, and could be mine to keep.
And had her mind stopped smouldering, had my fist released
The coin it had been hiding, had the world changed in the least,
Perhaps I could have claimed her there, perhaps she wouldn't go.
A night, a night and nothing more;
I held her through time's rushing roar
And we stayed up until three like we did years ago.
When her mind was an ember burning through a pretty bow,
And my mind was a fist clenching onto a gold coin,
And the world was stealing out
Past my thoughts, my pealing doubt,
For a conversation I wished that I could join.
I poured her some more tea, thinking that I loved her smile
The more for having missed it for such a bitter while.
I loved her for the chapters of her life I didn't read
When I was off writing mine,
Which, I feared she might divine,
Were hardly worth the paper or the ink I'd thought I'd need.
"I wish that you could stay," I said, a sword slicing the breeze.
"I wish we'd done this sooner," replied the ebbing seas.
Why didn't we? Why did I think it best to let her go?
Did I fear the yoke and cart,
Love dragged by a broken heart?
Did I think it easier to dance with lone sorrow?
We lay on her old futon, and her faded curtain swayed
As the wind lamented all it knew, and autumn made
A little fuss to disturb its shifting, thinning sleep,
While soft words and silken sighs
Seduced me with their ilk, and lies
That such a moment could be real, and could be mine to keep.
And had her mind stopped smouldering, had my fist released
The coin it had been hiding, had the world changed in the least,
Perhaps I could have claimed her there, perhaps she wouldn't go.
A night, a night and nothing more;
I held her through time's rushing roar
And we stayed up until three like we did years ago.