The Glowing Lanterns

This morning, early mist still rising

The river fields are lit with glowing lanterns

Hanging above the sweet meadow grass

Still full of faerie magic

There must have been a ball last night

Beneath these dandelion lamps

A waltz of wings and wild singing

With wine from drops of silver dew

Hedgerow birds are waking with a chorus

The river mist evaporating in the sun

But all across the rich green pastures

Glowing lanterns are still strung

Left alight for those who wake

Too early for the mortal world

There, in magic light they’ll stay

Beneath the glowing lanterns

Of Norfolk

The whisper of silver leaves under wide skies

In ancient tongues asking me

Where are your dreams now

Wild lass, wild lass

Only wreathed as silver strands in your hair

The willows are calling me

Back to the water lands

Windmills to the sea

Where river and sand flat and blue martins ply

Under the old cobbles

A shore of brick and stone

In memory of a place once we called home

Where are your dreams now

Wild lass, wild lass

Only wreathed as silver strands in your hair

Lost to the pine wind in the wild sea air

All your dreams travelled

A gathering storm

But your heart is a vaulted cathedral where angels sing

And love, ripe red and burnished

Beats to the steady drum

And here is hope, the living prayer, unfurled to the wind

The whisper of silver leaves under wide skies

In ancient tongues asking me

Where are your dreams now

Wild lass, wild lass

And I shout into the returning tide

Of the mud and salt and iron hard bone

Of barrel wood, frayed rope

And shells turned to stone

Of the stained glass and old songs

And cornfields' ripe gold

Where river and sand flat and blue martins ply

Under the old cobbles

A shore of brick and stone

Now memories of a place once we called home