The Silent Dark

She danced atop a candle
A lady of the flame
Her eyes were bright and burning
And Fire was her name.

She saw the gentle Darkness
And in delight, she cried
"My love! My dear! My darling!
Why do you turn and hide?"

She stretched her arms to catch him
To feel his cool embrace
But he pulled back in silence,
Refused to show his face.

She sang, she begged, she pleaded
She wrapped herself in light
But he refused to touch her -
His cloak was of the night.

The greater was her passion,
The more he shrank away
Unmoved, in mute detachment
By all she had to say.

And when the candle flickered,
And when her flame went out,
And when the wick extinguished,
When Fire drowned in doubt,

'Twas then he came to hold her
To whisper in her ear:
"Why spoke you in a language
I could not bear to hear?

I loved your gentle beauty,
I listened to you sing;
You were my queen, my lady;
I could not be your king."