The play kept moving
And I was left alone in the cold
Staring at a sea of endless, sardonic faces
That didn't feel, that didn't care if I was real
I sang songs to the hopeless
Spoke of hope to those who lost it
And tried to give love to those who never really had it
And were just as lost as me
But in the end
Did it ever matter?
The Prince whisked them all away
Leaving me alone yet again
Not for the first time
Certainly not for the last
Alone in the cold
Eyes filled with bitter tears
Act II, the stage is set
Ready for the action to begin
As the Piper steps in
Dressed in his moldering death shroud
And plays the sweet melodies
Sweet memories of days and loves long gone
"Resurrect me"
He says to me
"I am not your messiah,"
Says I
"only a lone poet."
And he sighed at that
"Well then poet," he says
"spin me a poem, wind me a tale of tales
of those days at the King's table
and of the ladies fair."
And to the Piper I cry, tears in my eyes
"I have none to tell, but if you are well
Perhaps you might play me a tune
That might cut through the gloom
And warm the ice, and melt it away from heart."
"Alas my old friend," says he "there are none left to play."
His stretched and pitted face was lined
With only a ghost of a smile
And then he turned and returned to his grave
No one was saved on that day
No hearts were surrendered
Rendering them from the accursed state of being lost
If I were to shed a tear, for every fallen sparrow,
Would you see me? Would you feel me?
Would you reach into the dark and grasp my fallen form
And bring it close to you?
If I were to scream out against the travesties
The devastation of the poor of spirit, the weak in heart
Would you hear me?
Would you seek me out and join your voice to mine
Against the hellish chorus of discord,
And disheartening deeds?
Or would you crawl back down
Unwilling, afraid to be counted among my number?
And you beg me to join the rest on the ground floor?
Sorry to say
I can't come back and play
I've made the step up to see
Above the crowds, beyond the clouds
And have seen into the shades of deepening blue
Knowing I can never step down again
Do not weep
Do not let the tears stain or spoil your beautiful face
I wish it to grace my memory with, a smile
As I hope my face does yours
I wish I could stay longer
But my time groweth short
And my shadow grows long
For in my long palaver with the Piper
I knew there had to be one last song to play
One last poem to say, one last story to tell
Before I did and I am damned to hell
The end is very near
Though it is only the end of the beginning
And am I winning?
The Piper is dead, but in dying has he won?
Or am I still ahead?
I have found the keys to the cell door
I stole them from the guard, while he slept on the floor
And when the whole world is asleep
I will creep to the world outside
Leaving my padded cell behind
I will raise my arms to the sky
And when all is said and done
When all the battles are lost and won
The last laugh will be mine
The last laugh will be mine