(For Ken and Dean -- and Love requires no thanks) Man to man, Finding the God in your lover. Now here you stand, Making a vow to each other. Making a promise to love Making a promise to rise above The times that are trying, And there’s no denying The love I see in your eyes. Man to man, Hand in hand, The embodiment of the God in you. Through each day, The good and the bad with each other You’ll find your way Back to the arms of your brother, Back to the moments of peace, Back to the moments of sweet release And comforting pleasure And find without measure The love I see in your eyes. Man to man, Hand in hand, The embodiment of the God in you.

Do I see the rose? Does it blossom and glimmer with my very step? Are these the thorns which have so cruelly pricked my thumb? Yes, yes to all. I wish it would rain. The air here is getting heavy with storm. The wind is tight and moves very little. Rain would be a blessing now And I would rain with the rain. But only inside. For the wind dries my eyes, and I will not cry. I wish it would rain. I have followed the path, and I stand at the bridge with my heart in my hand. And I do not dare to cross. There is uncertainty on either side, and I am afraid to go on. But I cannot remain here. Winter breezes chill my heart, leaving it a barren place, blowing out the gentle embers burning there. I see before me another pathway, one that is new. But it is on the other side of the bridge, and Winter has taken my courage. I cannot make my feet obey, for they are in conflict with my heart and mind. And I cannot move. The bridge looks strong, the new pathway inviting and cool, but all the same frightening. And I see before me two strangers. One who I have loved, and one who I am. Shall I become tame? Shall I hide the fragile beast of my longing within? Or shall I run, forever not knowing, forever free? And you stand beside me, confused. Yes, you sensed something was wrong. I did not want to be held nor touched, did not want to respond to your kisses. But could I say what I felt then? Could I be as callous as to break down your hope with one careless word? I could not. And thus I remain, silent. The rose is so much like love. Red, the very colour of passion. The sweet beauty, the sweet scent. The thorns that prick our fingers. Love is like a rose, growing or shrivelling according to its keeper. And what am I to Love? Am I a flourishing garden, or one that has not had enough sunlight? Are there clouds over me yet, waiting to cover up my sad beauty with darkness? Or am I indeed a new bud, waiting for a gentle ray of sunlight to touch me and make me burst with the very joy of life? I do not have an answer. I know there is Love, and I know that I love. But something is holding my heart, something as cold as Winter moonlight. I struggle in vain, it seems, to find the answers. So I lie here and do nothing but wait. And wonder.... Do I see the rose?

Siuil, siuil, siuil a ruin Siuil go socair agus siuil go cúin. Siuil go dti an abras agus alig liam. Is go dteighigh tú a bvoirnín slán.

On the Eve of Midwinter when all is held fast, And sleepless we wander and ponder the past; When cold holds its grip on our hearts and the land, Can Springtime’s sweet coming be so close at hand? The grip of Midwinter is firmer than steel, And makes us all weary, takes the taste from each meal; The ice hangs above us and there’s snow on the ground, And cold night is coming with dark all around. So hush, my small children, and come, my brave man -- We’ll comfort their crying and soothe what we can For the Old God is dying and the New God is late, And we’re scared and uncertain and wary of Fate. “Oh where is my Brother?” the Old God does cry, “For unless he cometh, I shall linger, not die; And my bones shall grow weaker for my time is at hand, And my strength I feel failing, and so fails the Land.” Like a Hawk to its Hunter the Young God did speed, But hampered and harried, and his poor heart did bleed, For his Brother was dying -- he could taste every pain. In his wake the snow melted and turned to Spring rain. The Young God called, “Brother!” as he dropped to his rest, And he cradled him gently with his head on his breast; And the Old God smiled softly as he turned to his sleep, While the Young God did kiss him and silently weep For the Young and the Old God are one and the same, And these bittersweet moments in such joy and such pain Are the only brief moments that they have to be Whole, And they live in these moments, then they walk on, alone. These moments consume us like flame a dry leaf, And burn in our bodies and waken our grief; But time surely passes and wounds close and heal, And surely as Springtime, love’s fire turns the Wheel.

My true love said to me, “My mother won’t mind, “And my father won’t slight you for your lack of kind.” And he stepped away from me, and this he did say, “It will not be long, love, til our wedding day.” He stepped away from me, and he moved through the faire. So fondly I watched him move here and move there, And he made his way homeward with one star awake As the swan in the evening moves over the lake. Last night, he came to me, my true love came in. So softly he came that his feet made no din. And he put his hand on me, and this he did say, “It will not be long, love, til our wedding day.”

I don’t know what happens when I look into your eyes, Something about you makes my heart go wild. There’s times in my life when I’m feeling old, so old, But then you look at me and I become a child. I awake from a midnight dream to find myself alone In the dark, so scared without a friend. Then, against the blackness, I see your face -- You smile at me, and I can sleep again. You look at me, and I feel like singing. The way I’m feeling, it comes as no surprise That even though my heart feels heavy again, I’m safe in your eyes. Even though the clouds above may try to cover me You’re the sun that brightens up the skies. There’s a place where I can hide from all the world -- I’m safe in your eyes. Safe in your eyes.

I tried Cinderella’s slipper and even though it fit, That Prince found fancy with my Houseman, and the two of them split And they live happily ever after in the deep Enchanted Wood While I’m sweeping my own walkway and contemplating my maidenhood. And I find myself wishing that stupid old wolf will Catch them unawares on some sun-dappled hill -- But they’d give him indigestion, they’re all sugar and sunshine, So it’s just a faerietale that I imagine at tea time. Yeah, but this cheap piece of glass shines like a diamond And if I’m happy with that, then who are you to say? Cuz I can delude myself any way I want to, And I know that my Prince Charming will find me some day. And then came a Dark Knight upon a stormy black steed, But he was seeking a dragon and he said he had no need For the comforts of flesh and the joys of home And he rode off to find the worm and its catacomb. Seven short guys came by and presented their need, A woman to live with them and play Donna Reed, But I heard about the jealous Queen and her poison kiss And I thought, “No band of miners is worth all of this.” So the slipper sits on the mantlepiece there An empty trophy, filled with dust and despair, And my friends think that it’s a trinket from QVC -- They don’t understand the dream that it represents to me. Yeah, but this cheap piece of glass shines like a diamond And if I’m happy with that, then who are you to say? Cuz I can delude myself any way I want to, And I know that my Prince Charming will fnd me some day.