The Dark Night of the Soul
Upon a darkened nightthe flame of love was burning in my breastAnd by a lantern brightI fled my house while all in quiet rest
Shrouded by the nightAnd by the secret stair I quickly fledThe veil concealed my eyeswhile all within lay quiet as the dead
Oh night thou was my guideof night more loving than the rising sunOh night that joined the loverto the beloved onetransforming each of them into the other
Upon that misty nightin secrecy, beyond such mortal sightWithout a guide or lightthan that which burned so deeply in my heartThat fire t'was led me onand shone more bright than of the midday sunTo where he waited stillit was a place where no one else could come
Oh night thou was my guideof night more loving than the rising sunOh night that joined the loverto the beloved onetransforming each of them into the other
Within my pounding heartwhich kept itself entirely for himHe fell into his sleepbeneath the cedars all my love I gaveFrom o'er the fortress wallsthe wind would brush his hair against his browAnd with its smoothest handcaressed my every sense it would allow
Oh night thou was my guideof night more loving than the rising sunOh night that joined the loverto the beloved onetransforming each of them into the other
I lost myself to himand laid my face upon my lover's breastAnd care and grief grew dimas in the morning's mist became the lightThere they dimmed amongst the lilies fairthere they dimmed amongst the lilies fairthere they dimmed amongst the lilies fair