Beachy Head

MP3
Written: 1992
Released: 1999 on 'October'

Charcoal thin
You wipe the wisps of windblown
Wishbone blonde from your face
Standing here
In the careless fearless
Crystal fountain of your youth
Here where once I ran
Gleefooted hill high and down
Over sisters side by side
The swan in my mouth still shabby and brown
Between these flaking hulls
Throwing stones and kicking gulls
Where first I held and kissed you
In the storming paunch of April

And I do believe no-one waits for me
And I do believe waiting is a sin
And I do believe there's no God or king
Knows a majesty as pure as this

Looking back
My heart a box of worms to bait
The briefest silver fin of my youth
I gaze down
Upon these grave cold flintlocked
Mussel padlocked seaweed fetlocked rocks
And here I will return one day
With priested lungs and rusting hands

To kick the gulls again
A vicious and bitter man
And all the windworn day
I'll spit my teeth away
Singing songs of love about you
Telling lies and cursing children

And I do believe nothing waits for me
And I do believe that love is all
And I do believe across this slated sky
Giants fold their arms and gaze in awe
Stand upon this cliff top
This crown of seven kings
Throw your heart into the air
Upon a child's wings

And I do believe you'll see angels fly
You'll hear a thousand horses crashing
White with rage and cold with dying
And I do believe those whose passion died
Once in the arms of failure might raise
Their eyes and see their wings again
With the sun in their hair
And the wind on their faces
Standing proud in this holy holy holy place
Where lovers come to die


© Philip Jeays 1992