maiden waiting

Gently, lovingly, I lay by your side, and

gently, lovingly

Your hair so long, so sweet, so wayward,

gently, lovingly

and I am stiff, and I am lithe                                                                 (your grace, your grace, your grace)

my fingers touch your hair.

Gently. Lovingly.

A gift, given

...gently... lovingly

And you are sleeping, and you are sleeping, and you are sleeping, and it is

gently

lovingly

that you went to sleep

for me

(i scream in quiet rage at your sacrifice but i cannot help but

(smile

no, now i know

(with all my wicked teeth)

(there is no recalling your sacrifice)

it is alright.

Gently, lovingly.

I wait.

I am not angry.

I wait.

If only I knew the truth how to wake you.

(Gently, lovingly. With a kiss.)

If only I were strong.

I am not calm.

I only wait.

(That is not how they took you from me. But it is how you gave yourself up, away from me. And I resist the urge to fight - roughly, with all rage.

They took you away from me. They caressed your embers and you let freely go, to stoke in me all your tender words.

Gently, lovingly. That is how

(.I resist