John K. Samson
Saint Cecilia
Out on the front porch with a kerosene lamp
See white-capped waves rolling five feet high
But begging these memories for another advance
Is like whispering love to the sky
I have this picture of you taking my hand
Sink to my knees in the damp, dark sand
Take off all your clothes and we reach out in vain
The light goes out as it starts to rain
Saint Cecilia, send me something simple and sublime
Close my eyes and douse my head with red raspberry wine
The wind rises swiftly and the trees start to sway
To take back the delicate words that you said
Place me there in the sunrise of the strong, new day
'Cause the light here is failing, these words are all dead
Just leave me my cherished ambiguity
I need it sleep with, I need it to see
For all contradictions that I try to disguise
Will rise up from my lungs, come to be baptized by
Saint Cecilia, send me something simple and sublime
Close my eyes and douse my head with red raspberry wine