The Joyous Waltz - Mick McAuley

There is a hollowness: shape without form. Hallowed and concentric circles splayed against a canvas Deep red, veins in hand with epitomes and documents of what has ceased to be. What was leased to me...? A dying light in fragile arms? An art amidst your victory march for me to chase; for me to run? For me to torment you and I until we fall again; Amidst a calm and cooling breeze, Amidst our spiritual dis-ease as our shadows stretch across the land? This is the twilight of my very oeuvre, or so I fear. I fear the end is near, as though time itself were befit by grace to crawl and to walk, To seethe as fit with entropy. But, surely this is but a heinous vision? The order is so very apparent, still. Order out of Chaos... I feel as though I've fallen short. The myriad of misanthropes I've slain and had reborn, The rising tide of shedded skin that by my hands was wrought, The countless names and faces of a destitute and witless being all discarded by the Way. O', what a pity it may be to balk at one's mortality For within but a blink all is naught but dust and ash, Soil and smoke, oil and water, And the whispering of the winds As they propagate the flames. "Still, a temple stands amidst the smoulders, does it not? Did you not think that the Pilgrim's Way would be fraught With the trials and the tests of your hopes and fears laid bare upon the rocks? What great cowardice is on display, with your writhing and your self-dismay! Are you a man, are you a mouse? Or are you but a foolish child Who's come to cry out in the middle of the night? Or is it that you're divine? Born to live and born to die as the waxing and the waning of the tides. Have you come to cry? Have you come to revel in the imposition of your Exile? Tell me, Pilgrim... What is it that you seek? Because it's all so simple. Can't you see?" O', what are the chances That I would come to see with such great ease? O', so blind and weary, perspective seems so out of reach. O', what are the chances That I would come to keep a realisation held so near and deep for more than a day? I might find balance. I might find ecstasy. But I won't. So as it transpires, I'll go the only way I know, To the sea, to the song. I shall be lured unto the rocks to fall and to fail, To seek to no avail. This dance, I'll do no more, Of time's unending waltz. I've sought to no avail, I have tried and I have failed. So, this dance I'll do no more, Of time's unending waltz.

Its the last waltz The last waltz with you But that dont mean The dance is over Its the last waltz The last waltz was through But that dont mean That the party is over Oh, the last waltz The last waltz with you But that dont mean The dance is over Its the last waltz The last waltz The last waltz was through But that dont mean That the party is over.

Let the weak say I'm strong Let the poor say I'm rich Let the lost say I'm found Let the blind say I see Let the weak say I'm strong Let the poor say I'm rich Let the lost say I'm found Let the blind say I see Storms may come your way Just be strong and remember The Lord is thy rod And he will come in time Just when you need the most Storms may come your way Just be strong and remember The Lord is thy rod And he will come in time Just when you need the most Let the weak say I'm strong Let the poor say I'm rich Let the lost say I'm found Let the blind say I see Wipe those tears from your eyes Joy will come in the morning All this works together for good God won't let you down Just keep the faith And hold your head high Just keep the faith And hold your head high (He loves you he won't ever let you down) Just keep the faith And hold your head high (He won't, you got to keep your faith and hold your head high) Just keep the faith And hold your head high Just keep the faith And hold your head high Just keep the faith And hold your head high Just keep the faith And hold your head high Just keep the faith And hold your head high Keep the faith and hold your head high Hold your head high Hold your head high Hold your head high Just keep the faith And hold your head high Just keep the faith And hold your head high Just keep the faith And hold your head high Just keep the faith And hold your head high

Well met, well met, my own true love Well met, well met, cried she I've just returned from the salt, salt sea And it's all for the love of thee I could have married a King's daughter there She would have married me But I have forsaken my King's daughter there It's all for the love of thee Well, if you could have married a King's daughter there I'm sure you're the one to blame For I am married to a house carpenter And I'm sure he's a fine young man Forsake, forsake your house carpenter And come away with me I'll take you where the green grass grows On the shores of sunny Italy So up she picked her babies three And gave them kisses, one, two, three Saying "take good care of your daddy while I'm gone And keep him good company." Well, they were sailin' about two weeks I'm sure it was not three When the younger of the girls, she came on deck Sayin' she wants company "Well, are you weepin' for your house and home? Or are you weepin' for your babies three?" "Well, I'm not weepin' for my house carpenter I'm weepin' for my babies three." Oh what are those hills yonder, my love They look as white as snow Those are the hill of heaven, my love You and I'll never know Oh what are those hills yonder, my love They look as dark as night Those are the hills of hell-fire my love Where you and I will unite Oh twice around went the gallant ship I'm sure it was not three When the ship all of a sudden, it sprung a leak And it drifted to the bottom of the sea