Thrice I came down to the sea

Thrice I came down to the sea
and saw a sight of riders three.
At first, twas time of moon and stars,
to palliate reopened scars.

I’d seen him many times before
atop his steed upon the shore.
He smiled at me and I advanced
captured in his moonlit trance.

His sable robes outshone the moon
glinting off the silver runes.
Charcoal waves fell from his head
“I am Night,” he calmly said.

Those eyes took in surrounding blue
and told me all, and all was true.
We made a bargain for the while

my heart a trifle to his smile.

He handled it with sable gloves
though not for once I thought of love.
But Night escaped in frantic flight

when streaks of sun slipped into sight.

When sands of time had run its course,
next day there came a man and horse.
His golden smile lit up the sky,
he wore pale silk and billows high.

His hair stretched out the path of sun,
he shouted, “morning has begun.”
And with a laugh he rode the sea
formed gentle mists to welcome me.

But him, not only I adored
and many came to watch him soar.
They sought his warmth and walked this way
for he was charming, kindly Day.

I left the beach and came again
where Day had ruled so long but then
a man of ruby chased him long
and murmured, “Day, you don’t belong.”

Tall Evening on a crimson mare
had eyes of bronze and scarlet hair.
The man was proud and left me be,
left me alone on the shore of the sea.

I waited long, I waited there,
I found myself in grave despair.
Warrior red or handsome white
I could not love as I loved Night.

And whence a whinny did I hear

when Night, at last, did then appear?

He drove the red far from the sand

and there alone did blackness stand.

Night held a silver sword instead,
his robes were wet from where he bled
The Night I loved was not the same
but still I loved in all, in name.

He sweeps me up in cur’sed black
where white and red cannot attack.
He takes me blind where we might fall,
and so we stumble, so we crawl.

I follow, I may be a fool.
for Night is careless, Night is cruel.
Though he is dark, it’s hard to see—
I believe that Night is true to me.