Gentle Night Poem by Martin Patrick McCarthy

O, gentle night, rock me asleep,
Dry my eyes so I cannot weep.
I embrace thee, cold gentle night,
While I scribble poetry by candlelight.

I cry out, 'All in vain! All in vain! '
As the night melts into day.
The sun rises and taunts me. The villain
Erases those words I wished to say.

Those words, those words, 'I Love Thee.'
Said to a princess from upon bended knee.
The sun glares; by whose light I see
That those words are ever trapped in my ditty.

Assail me not, sun! Let the moon stay high!
The sun forces my words to reverse their way.
It is only by night that I thrive...
I just wish to tell her I love her... alas, by night.

(16 September 1994)