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."
Copyright © Natsirt Nav Neram | Year Posted 2005
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