Cassiopeia by Joseph Cornell (1903-1972)

It Took The Moon

It took the moon to warn the town
The stars, my God, are falling down
It took the moon to wake us up
One star fell in my coffee cup
Old as heaven, young as earth
Little star, who sent you forth?
The sky, the sky is falling down
It took the moon to warn the town

Were you the pointer of the Plow?
The night's a little darker now
Constellations blinking on and off
Orion, have you had enough?
Heaven was your just reward
Where now are your belt and sword?
The earth is governed by a beast
There is no star in the east

The dying star of mystery
That even Hubble cannot see
Cassiopeia, are you there?
Is Megrez angry with The Bear?
What damage have we done your sky?
The moon is hurt, the tide is high
No ears left to hear our prayer
Cassiopeia, are you there?

It took the moon to warn the town
The stars, my God, are falling down
It took the moon's emergent cry
To gather us beneath the sky
To ask ourselves what life is worth
Old as heaven, young as earth
It took the moon to warn the town
The stars, my God, are falling down

DL

Christy Moore's Burning Times is now out

Breath Away

Breath away, breath away
Breath away, breath
Feelings are bridges
Between life and death
Feelings are bridges
The water is wide
Breath away, breath away
Love never died

All these umbrellas
Refusing the sky
The rains never touch us
The heavens they cry
The teachers don't teach us
When we're asleep
The days ending sooner
The darkness is deep

I love a woman
Her eyes hold a light
Glowing with mercy
Stars for my night
She embraces the darkness
Her heart being wise
My sister of mercy
With light in her eyes

I went on a journey
To find me a stone
To shine on a necklace
When I am alone
When we're not looking
Changes occur
Long was my journey
It led me to her

Breath away, breath away
Breath away, breath
Journeys are bridges
Between life and death
Journeys are bridges
The water is wide
Breath away, breath away
Love never died

DL