at the parting

 these are the gates through which the rivers pass
all of our hopes are focused on one place
enough to know that we might have the grace
but yours the choice to be divine or crass
only one eye may see right through the glass
and one alone may the great light embrace
yours is the one last honest open face
and you must go through to the land of grass
each pilgrimage returns to one last fane
an empty temple with an absent god
and what we find there is not set out clear
the measure of our journey is in pain
each step is taken with a single prod
and no one knows why any wants to dare

the secret game

 

you want to understand the secret game
but not to play it by the usual rule
no one must know you by your given name

all that i say must be for your acclaim
so much is clear and plain and very cool
you want to understand the secret game

no one who does this speaks a word for shame
the thread's been let out to the end of spool
no one must know you by your given name

what we have faced no longer seems so tame
no aging toothless lion on its stool
you want to understand the secret game

the proper shaping of the world's your aim
you fear a monster lurks within the pool
no one must know you by your given name

an ending comes even to brightest flame
who would claim otherwise is just a fool
you want to understand the secret game
no one must know you by your given name

hidden dragon

 

there is a beast beneath each human skin
you find that out when you reach that odd ground
where each of us finds out that we could win

a kind of monster whose nerves are most thin
and ready to break out at the least sound
there is a beast beneath each human skin

this is a creature of the dragonkin
moving with haste towards the sacred mound
where each of us finds out that we could win

the sky above us seems with speed to spin
what we have learned is wisdom most profound
there is a beast beneath each human skin

we throw all hesitation in the bin
the past in all its foolishness is drowned
where each of us finds out that we could win

the hero learns to take it on the chin
and let the villain fall before the hound
there is a beast beneath each human skin
where each of us finds out that we could win

a truer sort of freedom

 only my hand has right to shape define
the bounds within which heart and hope reside
no alien mind or outer thought applied
the force to hold in place the final line
with whom and when i shall choose to align
is secret vision and my own to hide
not for your speaking nor your blasted pride
i speak my piece and what i mean is mine
not as a child but as adult i learn
all of the pains that built the ship of light
that bore us all across the deepest sea
and for that journey each of us will burn
not in the daytime but in peace of night
knowing just how each new waking must be