BY PETER CHRISTOPHER RAYMOND
HE CALLED OUT ACROSS A FROZEN POND
WAITING FOR YEARS FOR HER TO RESPOND
A SHADOW OF AN ECHO REMAINED OF HER VOICE
HER DISEMBODIED SONG SADDENED BY HER FATEFUL CHOICE
WARS RAGE WITHIN YOU AND FIRES CRACKLE
YOUR HEART IS TORN BY A CONTRADICTORY BATTLE
EVEN APPARENT GOODNESS IS EMPTIED OF ITS' MEANING
WITH JOY AND SPIRIT DISPERSING IN THE ICY DARK EVENING
THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH SORROW NOW TO PONDER
YOU WONDR HOW THESE NIGHTS COULD GET ANY LONGER
SOMETHING WON'T LET YOU FORGET YOUR MISTAKES
YOU'RE HAUNTED TONIGHT BY ALL OF YOUR HEARTBREAKS
YOU WONDER WHY YOU'RE SO BEREAVED
WHAT WITH ALL THE WORDLY GOALS YOU'VE ACHIEVED
SO MANY FRIENDSHIPS YOU'RE NEGLECTED AND LOST
COULD IT HAVE BEEN WORTH SUCH AN ENORMOUS COST
YOUR LIFELIGHT'S GONE OUT TOO YOU MIGHT'VE NOTICED
OR DOESN'T IT SEEM MUCH COLDER THIS WINTER SOLSTICE
YOU DON'T WANT TO CONSIDER ALL YOU'VE DISPATCHED
WITH ALL OF THE SORRY REGRET THAT WOULD HATCH
MEMORIES WITH UNBEARABLE EMOTIONS ATTAHCED
MAYBE THERE'S A POINT YOU'RE RELUCTANT TO CATCH
BUT YOU GET IT AND REALIZE IT'S GOD YOU'VE SHUNNED
AND YOU'VE TURNED YOUR LIFE OVER TO THE EVIL ONE
JUST WHEN YOU FELT YOUR SPIRIT WAS SPENT
YOU MADE THE DECISION TO TURN AND REPENT
SOBERED TO YOUR SIN AND BACK IN THE FIGHT
OUT OF THAT DARKNESS TO LIFE IN THE LIGHT
AWAKE AND ALERT SO YOU'RE ABLE TO KNOW
THOSE FORCES AT WORK TO DARKEN YOUR GLOW
SO NOT TO STRAY FROM THE TRUE RELIGION
STEPPING CLEAR AND FAR FROM THE EVIL DOMINION
HE LETS YOUR WALK BE CONFIDENT AND SURE
GUARDING YOUR THOUGHTS SO THAT THEY'RE PURE
FILLING YOUR HEART WHICH ALWAYS GROWS IN SIZE
RETURNING JOY AND HOPE TO YOUR EYES