Rawe of the Raven Hair

The river lay across the path Like a never ending tale Murmured secrets passing by Through that dim and moonlit dale And I stood by upon the path Water seemed to say to me That "Only Innocent may pass All were once those truly free" It seemed I saw a child there In the river, on the shore A beautious thing with golden hair Eyes black as the river's core She walked into the river then As she touched the water's side She did not sink, but Innocent Walked atop the river wide "River daughter" named I her In that realm of unknown sounds Bowed she then, and touched her hair Into the river's damping crowns As she melted to the depths I knew to be the river base I was distracted from her sight By moonlight on the farther face Across the river did I see Silver-black was shimmering And in the moonlight there I saw Hair as black as raven-wing The river of the night lay there Know that I was lost for words "I, Rawe of the Raven Hair" Spoke the river, and I heard Rawe of the Raven Hair Gods are wont to know thee None is there so beautious fair I shall always love thee The deep enchantress of the night So the legends often say The faerie of the darker light Not seen ever 'neath the day The legends tell she is the river When the moon is on the rise The stories say she is the moonlight When the river all still lies Not a sound did break that silence Yet the river spoke to me "Be ye innocent and pass" Into this moonlit misery Entranced by nothing but the night Stepped I to the river then And, Innocent, I walked above Water never meant for men The River-Child I'd seen before Brought me to my innocence And not a thought within me lay But the thought of infant bliss So cross did I, and as I did Water still beneath my lay The moonlight shone upon the bank Rawe on the bank did stay Perplexed, she looked, and spoke she then "How crossed thee o'er the river's shore? Innocence unmeant for men Resides within thee: in thy core." "How canst thou cross the river Styx Unknown to Charon, undead and live?" Said I to her "Ah, I am dead: Dead to reality's soft lies" "Rawe of the Raven Hair Beauty not in life, in Death None is there so beautious fair Truth lies in thy breath" "Rawe of the Raven Hair Life is wont to know thee All death's freedom, no life's care Won't you come with me?" In that realm of soft delusions Truth was still her words inside "Though in Death life can be free, Life of Death is suicide."