The Night the Stars Fell From Heaven
at last something broke you
and that something, it was you
you were closing your eyes
you were seeing it through
you blew up and sold
the world outside and within
and i fell on your black day
you showed me how to live
you showed me how to die
and no matter how hard i try
to stare at the sun
it is black to my blind eyes
and suddenly my eyes are open
somehow things begin to focus
high
we are all illuminated
light is shining on our faces
blind
until our rapture
falls to pieces
these are stolen
bits and pieces
*
new york is hot
how i loathe where i'm living
Bharata, you fought
now it's i who is giving
up
and now fly
now fly from your empty cage, girl
you are rust and the sky
always killing the bird
see, i am the night
jesus christ i suppose
see, i am the light
i don't mean to remind you
of anything you gave me in song
you blessed my muse with your light
what you did was so wrong
the light in us was darkness
how the night is so long
light a fire, wait for summer
we black stars wander on
smoldering embers
september's come and gone
here comes my december
half beast
and half gone
*
broken and cold
but all is still holy
Hallelujah, and through you
yes everything, holy
did we want it darker
so you turned out the light?
now i'm doing time
playing with meter and rhyme
longing to be in the house
of my own secret life
until the sea must free us
i'll wait for you there
you came just to see us
all we sailing where?
all of us sailors
rowers, keep rowing
now no light is showing
now the danger's approaching
row gently, never gently!
upstream to ignite
row never gently!
rage at that night!
oh captain, my lying captain
turn around and take me home
a long time ago
i thought you'd died alone
everybody knows this boat's leaking
all the white horses stopped sleeping
the ponies stopped running
i the band just keep playing
though the girls now are aging
lilac wine, sweet and heady
how my hand is unsteady
how aghast and unready
like my love that is ending
like the last night you danced me
when the music was over
you turned out the lights
you kissed me goodnight
with a thousand goodbyes
still in my dreams you walk dripping
from the sea where i'm slipping
from the sea that shall free me
to my hut that is ripping
through the masterpiece
tripping
how my soul is worn thin
i can't even begin
to speak
so i'll speak no more
and if it be your will
i'll sink beneath your wisdom
like a stone
like a stone
i'll wait for you there
alone
Copyright © Justin Aptaker | Year Posted 2019
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