The Ballad of Love Distorted

The Ballad of Love Distorted The horse’s ears flicker in silent rebuke His rider is tense, taut, confused. Raw frost shining in soft silver rhythm And the cutting cold wind is unforgiving, A dark house ahead, his fate there, unseen. The rider dismounts with a silent scream. ‘Quiet now boy!’ and the horse retreats. A hard push and a heavy door creaks. His weapon drawn, his mind clear His raw senses breathing fear A loose floorboard, a startled cat A glare, a thud, Draw back? Draw back? The stillness returns as his heartbeat slows He reaches the bedroom and oh but he knows His daughter’s light breath as his fury grows ‘Ssh Molly’ he hears ‘Sleep now ,pretty rose.’ He sees in the moonlight through a latticed pane Her white throat, soft face, her delicate frame Sleeping soundly and peaceful in love’s afterglow He grips his pistol and aims true and low As firmly he points at Lord Arthur’s head he hears his Molly as she softly says ‘I love him, Daddy, and that, death won’t change. I’m sorry you’re hurt. I know you feel pain.’ But her father despairs for her future, her life He remembers with horror Lord Arthur’s good wife A partner discarded, in madness and strife Lord Arthur had killed her, for Molly, his child. He readies the weapon, this much he controls, As Molly she screams and Arthur he rose The horse in the meadow he neighs and implores But the foul deed is done as his daughter, she roars. ‘Oh Father, my father, what have you done?’ He turns and he stumbles, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t run.