The Nightingale’s Song
by Jonas Hyde

Hark,
oh hear,
this tale I need to share,
for perhaps its moral can save your soul,
as she saved mine. 

For on that night,
now so long ago,
her Nightingale’s Song was first whispered to me. 

I remember it clearly,
as if its the only memory left to recall. 

In that moment,
the tempest winds swirled ‘round me,
mirroring the angst and strife within. 

My life’s turmoil,
was soon to be at its end,
not by disease,
nor crime,
but simply by my ain will. 

For there I stood,
balanced ‘pon the cliff’s edge,
staring into the Tempter’s void. 

His abyss called out,
beckoning me with its honeyed gifts. 

Not the temptations of pleasure one would expect,
but simply,
a release from the pain. 

‘Twas then,
in that moment ‘fore death,
when time stops with the world,
and all sits still,
her call came to me. 

The soft voice of a sabled bird,
bejeweled with the lure of an azure stone,
travelled ‘pon the winds.

I turned to find its source,
but could not,
due to the blackness that engulfed me. 

The sound was faint,
and I wondered for how long she had been there,
calling to me,
without my e’er noticing.  

So I closed my eyes,
and focused on her call. 

Its subdued sound had a somber touch,
which I at first did not realize,
for it was laced within a joyful facade. 

‘Pon opening my eyes,
I found her ‘fore me,
suddenly as if there the entire time. 

At first glance,
I could quickly see through the masque of her bliss,
and to the pain ‘neath. 

It mirrored my own anguish,
and in that instance,
I knew we were as one. 

I reached out my hand,
and she perched ‘pon it,
tilting her head so slightly to the side,
as the world stormed ‘round us. 

‘Twas then,
I asked her if she had come to join me,
to end her pain as I was ‘bout to end mine. 

Her response tho’,
was more than I could e’er relate here. 

For from her echoed a song,
so beautiful and pure,
I knew at once it matched her soul. 

She sang of love and life,
of pain and death,
and of the infinite emotions betwixt the ends. 

Her verve filled my ain self,
with a strength I had long lost. 

As she sang tho’,
the tempest winds swirled ‘round me with even a greater fury,
as if the Tempter himself were trying to claim his prize. 

Then with a sudden gust ‘gainst my back,
I lost my step,
and fell. 

Fell deep,
down into the darkened abyss. 

Just when I thought I had found hope,
found love,
my life’s journey was to come to an end. 

The deeper I fell,
the louder His laugh,
the Tempter’s merry,
it resonated ‘round me without end. 

I thought all was lost,
for my strength paled in comparison to Alighieri’s,
and I would surely succumb to the darkness. 

But then,
just as all faith was exhausted,
my Nightingale came to me,
flying as I was falling. 

She then continued her song,
drowning out the Tempter’s curse. 

Promise once again returned,
and the icy darkness of lonely solitude within,
began to fill with a warm flow of light. 

At first dull,
the glow intensified,
quickly turning into a brilliant radiance. 

After filling my ain soul,
the cavernous void I was descending into,
also began to shimmer. 

In that moment,
when light finally overtook the darkness,
a second gust came,
this time larger than the first. 

Blowing up from the abyss,
it pushed me high into the Heavens,
as if rising from a geyser of damnation.  

‘Twas truly a resurrection of my ain soul,
I felt reborn. 

When all was done,
I stood back where I started,
‘pon the edge of that cliff. 

Howe’er this time,
there was no storm ‘round me,
only a shining star,
resting high in the northern sky. 

And my Nightingale,
she who risked everything to save me,
was still there by my side. 

In the time since,
she has ne’er left,
and our wounds healed,
falling off with the memories we both cared to forget. 

Tho’ time unfortunately passes,
which brings me to this present point,
for my time is at its end. 

I wish I could spend,
eternity e’ermore with her,
but alas,
such dreams can ne’er come to be. 

Thankfully,
by the Maker’s gift,
I was given this time with her,
tho’ but a moment,
in the scheme of fore’ers grace,
yet I feel as if I have lived a lifetime tenfold,
by her side. 

So with my final breath,
I pray you heed my tale,
as I offer these last words to you my love,

     I heard the whisper of your call,
     upon the evening’s wind,
     beckoning my soul with your Nightingale’s Song,
     for then my heart it did enthrall.

     At once my love was fore’er yours,
     and since without regard,
     for on that tempest night my life you did save,
     and our love since e’er endures.

     Now on this eve I bid goodnight,
     as I fall e’er asleep,
     but fear not for Tempter’s grasp has given way,
     to our long love you did ignite.

     Do not weep my love as I die,
     I’ll always be with you,
     as you were for me my sabled Nightingale,
     e’er in love… I bid you goodbye.

Familiar Stranger
by Jonas Hyde

In this moment,
my heart is weak,
why is it hard to say,
what we both want to speak,
an ocean of fear,
a breath and a tear,
a beautiful thing,
life could be,
if I would ever know,
the familiar stranger,
so far away…

The Tale of You
by Jonas Hyde

Late last eve,
my daughter came to me,
for the first time in ever it seems,
asking for a tale,
woven with the fabric of her youth.

It had been since those nights,
so many years ago in fact,
when I was last asked,
to complete such a task,
that I was unsure if such yarns were still within.

At first I stammered,
as I so oft do when taken aback,
but then she closed her eyes,
pulled the blanket to her chin,
and with a whisper asked, please.

I closed my eyes as she did,
then took a breath deep,
and lost myself  in the past,
searching for the days when passion flowed,
before my own muse died.

I thought of love lost,
and love never swooned,
I thought of the fears I let win,
the chances I never took,
and then I thought of you.

    Once upon a time,
    in a land far and away,
    was a beast dark and tall,
    with a sorrow so large in his heart,
    he despised each breath,
    taken every single day.

    For trapped he was,
    in a chamber of lies,
    living a life so hated,
    death would be welcome,
    save for the love he felt,
    when gazing into his daughter’s eyes.

    Til that one day,
    when as all thing do,
    life changed in blink,
    for beauty came,
   with a smile so bright,
   and a soul so true.

 The beast at first,
 noticed not the love within,
 blanketed only in his pain,
 so at first time passed,
 wasted moments,
 filled with hurt and sin.

 Tho’ beauty still,
 never lost hope,
 for she could look deep within the beast,
 and see what others could not,
 a heart longing to be loved,
 but bound by strife and rope.

 So patient she was,
 as she took his hand,
 and taught him how to love once more,
 filling the void of his darkness,
 stoking the fires of his life,
 each moment was grand.

 But beast was,
 as he was,
 not by curse or birth,
 but cause of his own,
 living in fear,
 doing what he does.

 Hardly any way to be,
 it changed him so,
 from the inside out,
 to the beast I speak of now,
 til that day that came,
 when he gave beauty the blow.

 Not of fist or foot,
 but a pain so much worse,
 for he told beauty on that day,
 that tho’ he cherished her,
 their love could never be,
 by fault of his curse.

 Beauty did not understand,
 nor did she care,
 for patience she had,
 and in her heart she knew,
 that if beast would just allow it,
 nothing would ever compare.

 But the beast was scared,
 and lost in his own sorrow,
 that he turned away,
 and left beauty in tears,
 as he begged her to go,
 and not be there tomorrow.

 So left she did,
 against her own will,
 and beast soon died,
 alone in life,
 because time passed,
 and his world became cold and still.

 For daughters grow up,
 and soon move on their own,
 and with beauty gone,
 the beast wept and cried,
 with regret in his heart,
 and his soul all alone.

Upon completing the tale,
my daughter was long asleep,
peaceful and serene,
happy just to hear my voice,
unknowing of my pain within.

So I slowly rose,
and wiped the tears from my eyes,
and promised that in my coming days,
I would find the love I missed,
that I would find you.

Whether it be in life,
or in death,
never again shall I let a moment pass,
or a breath wasted,
without you by my side.

Regret is the mistress I never longed for,
though she is the one I lie with now,
while you my nightingale,
with your Wilde rose in tow,
are all I ever wanted.

So hear my words,
as I shout to the world,
with me you’ll be evermore,
I’m just so sorry,
it has taken this long.

Fires of our Freedom – The Ballad of Old Glory
by Jonas Hyde

Keep in thought this moment of breath,
And remember this eve, Countrymen, my brothers I implore,
For morrow’s dawn shall offer freedom or death,
As on this eve’s twilight, all shall hear Glory’s roar.

Together we stand from shore to shore,
United by the threads of Her cause,
And I call to you as in times of yore,
When our fathers’ fathers did so without pause.

Her red is in the blood of our laws,
And Her white is in the sweat born of our fight,
Her blue is in the tears of our flaws,
And the beacon of Her liberty shall shine e’er bright.

Tonight these words I do recite,
To remember those fallen who have answered the call,
And now I offer this invite,
For each of us to follow, a nation together, one and all.

It is time for us to stand tall,
And take back this country we hold dear,
To pick up Old Glory if she should fall,
To defend our democracy without fear.

Careful not to spoil Her character with violence or tear,
But ‘stead to offer a symbol of hope for all to see, no matter how far,
For if our actions are sincere,
Our truth and liberty shall burn as bright as a shining star.

So I ask you tonight no matter where you are,
To light the wick of freedom’s flame,
To heal the rifts that caused wound and scar,
And let it burn through the night in Glory’s name.

For under her cloth we are all one in the same,
And the fires of our freedom shall light the way,
And the world ‘round shall hear all America proclaim,
‘Neath Old Glory, our strength and verve shall ne’er sway.

Eternal Sleep
by Jonas Hyde

Eternal sleep,
release me from my mortal coil,
close my eyes,
and let fore’er wash me away.

I am so tired,
of all my suffering,
I want to shed out all vestige of my humanity,
I need to make it through this day.

Tho’ I know I wont,
for my soul shall be claimed by my ain hand,
and the wretched excuse that is my existence,
shall be ne’ermore as my body lay.

Sleeping Soul
by Jonas Hyde

Sleeping soul,
I cry this solemn night,
hoping for you to someday soon wake.

Hand in hand,
I sit silently by,
as deep within I feel this heart ache.

Here I cry,
as there you gently lay,
all because of my wicked mistake.

Forgive me,
I beg this of you please,
else my soul the Tempter shall soon take.

Not by cause,
did I put you like this,
please believe this for my ain soul’s sake.

Tho its true,
I walked that broken line,
and all of our rules I did break.

‘Twas not planned,
this folly I have brought,
that forced you in damned sin to partake.

So my love,
I beg you here and now,
with this promise to you I do make.

Save my soul,
by forgiving my deed,
and Tempter’s bond you shall surely break.

Holiday Tears
by Jonas Hyde

Eyes open,
as if a rising sun,
over a horizon of anguish,
of sorrow.

“Daughter do not frown,
for on this day
the family is as one,”
he whispers softly.

“But father I weep,
I cry,
not for the moment I have,
but for the time when it will surely end.”

And so it goes,
the conversation once more,
as it always has before,
truth rarely spoken.

The snow has fallen,
and gifts are done,
but the scene is far from idyllic,
framed within the pain of our lives.

Holiday’s eve brought with it,
hurt,
anger,
as every night ‘fore

So I hold her close,
my arms wrapping her
in a paternal blanket woven for a lifetime,
of warmth and protection.

Together we pose,
heads behind the masques of seasonal cheer
hiding simply,
our holiday tears.

I Do
by Jonas Hyde

‘I do’ was the lie you promised me,
our garden poisoned by your nefarious deeds
the flowers of our passion,
wilted by the suffocating weeds of your sin.

The long walk to freedom,
starts with but a moment,
a decision,
a realization of truth.

I exit the prison you trapped me in,
a better man.

The cold stone of these walls hold more comfort,
than the thought of your embrace.

God had pardoned my sentence,
voided the contract which shackled me to your hell.

Do I love,
do I hate,
do I lust,
do I detest?

I do

London Rain
by Jonas Hyde

Twilight’s tears pelt against the panes of my eyes.

For you I weep on this eve my love,
listening to the sound of London rain.

The pouring,
streaming sleet outside,
dances in concert with my own rivers of sorrow.

It was said when somebody knows you,
there is no comfort like that,
well you know me best,
and losing you is no comfort at all.

Then it was said when somebody needs you,
there is no drug like that,
well I need you now,
need you to take away my pain.

The night’s gale sings as she hears our tale,
the tale that has made us both cry,
the tale of our lives.

Yes this evenfall shall be the darkest of all,
yet in that lonely solitude the rain’s rhythm intones what my soul feels…

Nothing heals me like you do.

Sleep Watcher
by Jonas Hyde

Darkened room you lie,
through the veil I watch you.

Breathing soft and harmonious,
I count each swing of your pendulum.

Warmth radiates from your soul,
blanketing my own cold body.

Scent and hair lay soft ‘pon thy pillow,
entrap my heart this eve.

You sleep whilst I weep,
knowing this moment will soon end.

Hours pass by as seconds,
dripping sand into our eyes.

‘Morrow’s morn you shall rise
and I shall be alone once more.

Sleep this night through my love,
for my gaze is fixed ‘pon you.