The Light at the End of the World in POETRY

My poetry is all original, however; I wanted to share this.

This is actually a song, but the song is horrible! It absolutely ruins the beauty of the lyrics, I will give credit, but strongly recommend not giving it a listen and enjoy the words alone. The lyrics, simple as they are: spoke to me, and still do; it’s as if I am him and so, I edited the song a little to make it more loquacious just as a read (which I do often).

An isle, a bright shining isle
Stands forever, alone in the sea
Of rock and of sand and grass and shale
The isle bereft of trees.

Small… a speck in the wide blue sea.
Tis the last of all the land
A dweller upon our lonesome isle
The last, lonely man.

By the G-ds he is there
To never leave and remain all his life.
His punishment for evermore
To attend the eternal light.

The lighthouse, tall and brilliant white
Which stands at the end of the world.
Protecting ships and sailors too
From rock they could be hurled

Yet nothing comes and nothing goes
Except the bright blue sea.
Which stretches near and far away
Tis all our man can see.

Though, one day, up high on rock
A bird did perch and cry.
An albatross, he shot a glance
And wondered deeply… Why?

Could it be a watcher sent?
A curse appointed from the G-ds
Who sits and cries and stares at him,
The life that they have robbed.

Each year it comes to watch over him
The creature from above.
Not a curse but a reminder of
The woman that he loved.

Oh weary night and twilight skies
He’d lay and gaze.
Up towards the moon and flickering stars.
The suns… dying haze.

Time and again, Orion’s light
Filled our man with joy.
Within the belt, he’d see his love
Remembering her voice

The twinkle from the stars above
Bled peace into his heart.
As long as she looks down on him
He knows they’ll never part.

One day good, one day bad
The madness, the heat, the sun.
Out to sea, he spies upon land
His beloved Albion.

Cliffs of white and trees of green
Children run and play.
My home land, he cries and weeps
Why so far away?

Eyes sore and red and filled with tears
He runs towards the sea.
To risk his life, a worthy cause
For home he would be.

Into the sea, deep and blue
The waters wash him clean.
Awake; he screams. cold with sweat
And Albion a dream.

Such is life upon the isle
Of torment and of woe.
One day good. one day bad
And some days, even hope.

The light at the end of the world
Burns bright for mile and mile
Yet tends the man, its golden glow
In misery all the while?

For fifty years he stands and waits
Atop the light, alone.
Looking down upon his isle
The G-ds have made his home.

The watcher at the end of the world
Through misery does defile.
Remembers back to that single night
And allows a tiny smile.

(His sacrifice was not so great!
He insists upon the world.
Again he would crime,
Again he would pay,
For one moment with the girl).

Her hair, long and black it shone
The dark beauty of her eyes.
Olive skin and warm embrace
Her memory never dies.

Twas years ago, he remembers clear
The brio they once did live.
Endless love and lust for life
They promised each would give.

Alas, such love and laughter too
Was short as panting breath.
For one dark night, her soul
Was kissed by the shade of death.

Agony, like none before
Was suffered by our man.
Who tends the light now
Burning bright, on the very last of land.

Anger raged and misery too
Like nothing ever before.
He cursed the G-ds and man, and life
And at his heart he tore.

A deity felt sympathy
And threw our man a light
Your woman you may see again
For just a single night.

But think hard and well young man
There is a price to pay:
To tend the light at the end of the world
Is where… you must stay.

Away from man and life and love
Alone you will be.
On a tiny isle, a bright shining isle
In the middle of the sea.

I’ll tend the light, for one more night
With the woman whom I love!
Screamed the man, with tearful eyes
To the deity up above.

And so it was that very night
His lover did return.
To his arms and to their bed
Together they did turn.

In deepest love and lust, and passion
Entwined they did fall.
Lost within each others arms
They danced (in lover’s ball).

Long was the night filled with love
For them the world was done.
Awoke he did to brightest light
His woman and life had gone.

To his feet he leapt, to the sea he looked
To the lighthouse on the stone.
The price is paid and from now on
He lives forever alone.

.

Fifty years have passed since then
And not a soul has he seen.
But his woman lives with him still
In every - single - dream.

• Original lyrics by My Dying Bride

Last updated June 07, 2017