The Mask and Mirror - Loreena McKennitt

A clouded dream on an earthly night

Hangs upon the crescent moon

A voiceless song in an ageless light

Sings at the coming dawn

Birds in flight are calling there

Where the heart moves the stones

It’s there that my heart is longing

All for the love of you

A painting hangs on an ivy wall

Nestled in the emerald moss

The eyes declare a truce of trust

Then it draws me far away

Where deep in the desert twilight

Sand melts in pools of the sky

Darkness lays her crimson cloak

Your lamps will call me home

And so it’s there my homage’s due

Clutched by the still of the night

Now I feel you move

And every breath is full

So it’s there my homage’s due

Clutched by the still of the night

Even the distance feels so near

All for the love of you

A clouded dream on an earthly night

Hangs upon the crescent moon

A voiceless song in an ageless light

Sings at the coming dawn

Birds in flight are calling there

Where the heart moves the stones

It’s there that my heart is longing

All for the love of you

A farmer there lived in the north country

a hey ho bonny o

And he had daughters one, two, three

The swans swim so bonny o

These daughters they walked by the river’s brim

a hey ho bonny o

The eldest pushed the youngest in

The swans swim so bonny o

Oh sister, oh sister, pray lend me your hand

with a hey ho a bonny o

And I will give you house and land

the swans swim so bonny o

I’ll give you neither hand nor glove

with a hey ho a bonny o

Unless you give me your own true love

the swans swim so bonny o

Sometimes she sank, sometimes she swam

with a hey ho and a bonny o

Until she came to a miller’s dam

the swans swim so bonny o

The miller’s daughter, dressed in red

with a hey ho and a bonny o

She went for some water to make some bread

the swans swim so bonny o

Oh father, oh daddy, here swims a swan

with a hey ho and a bonny o

It’s very like a gentle woman

the swans swim so bonny o

They placed her on the bank to dry

with a hey ho and a bonny o

There came a harper passing by

the swans swim so bonny o

He made harp pins of her fingers fair

with a hey ho and a bonny o

He made harp strings of her golden hair

the swans swim so bonny o

He made a harp of her breast bone

with a hey ho and a bonny o

And straight it began to play alone

the swans swim so bonny o

He brought it to her father’s hall

with a hey ho and a bonny o

And there was the court, assembled all

the swans swim so bonny o

He laid the harp upon a stone

with a hey ho and a bonny o

And straight it began to play lone

the swans swim so bonny o

And there does sit my father the King

with a hey ho and a bonny o

And yonder sits my mother the Queen

the swans swim so bonny o

And there does sit my brother Hugh

with a hey ho and a bonny o

And by him William, sweet and true

the swans swim so bonny o

And there does sit my false sister, Anne

with a hey ho and a bonny o

Who drowned me for the sake of a man

the swans swim so bonny o

Upon a darkened night

the flame of love was burning in my breast

And by a lantern bright

I fled my house while all in quiet rest

Shrouded by the night

and by the secret stair I quickly fled

The veil concealed my eyes

while all within lay quiet as the dead

Oh night thou was my guide

oh night more loving than the rising sun

Oh night that joined the lover

to the beloved one

transforming each of them into the other

Upon that misty night

in secrecy, beyond such mortal sight

Without a guide or light

than that which burned so deeply in my heart

That fire t’was led me on

and shone more bright than of the midday sun

To where he waited still

it was a place where no one else could come

Within my pounding heart

which kept itself entirely for him

He fell into his sleep

beneath the cedars all my love I gave

And by the fortress walls

the wind would brush his hair against his brow

And with its smoothest hand

caressed my every sense it would allow

I lost myself to him

and laid my face upon my lovers breast

And care and grief grew dim

as in the mornings mist became the light

There they dimmed amongst the lilies fair

There they dimmed amongst the lilies fair

There they dimmed amongst the lilies fair

They’re gathered in circles

the lamps light their faces

The crescent moon rocks in the sky

The poets of drumming

keep heartbeats suspended

The smoke swirls up and then dies

Would you like my mask?

would you like my mirror?

cries the man in the shadowing hood

You can look at yourself

you can look at each other

or you can look at the face, the face of your god

The stories are woven

and fortunes are told

The truth is measured by the weight of your gold

The magic lies scattered

on rugs on the ground

Faith is conjured in the night market’s sound

Would you like my mask?

would you like my mirror?

cries the man in the shadowing hood

You can look at yourself

you can look at each other

or you can look at the face, the face of your god

The lessons are written

on parchments of paper

They’re carried by horse from the river Nile

says the shadowy voice

In the firelight, the cobra

is casting the flame a winsome smile

Would you like my mask?

would you like my mirror?

cries the man in the shadowing hood

You can look at yourself

you can look at each other

or you can look at the face, the face of your god

Stars were falling deep in the darkness

as prayers rose softly, petals at dawn

And as I listened, your voice seemed so clear

so calmly you were calling your god

Somewhere the sun rose, o’er dunes in the desert

such was the stillness, I ne’er felt before

Was this the wuestion, pulling, pulling, pulling you

in your heart, in your soul, did you find peace there?

Elsewhere a snowfall, the first in the winter

covered the ground as the bells filled the air

You in your robes sang, calling, calling, calling him

in your heart, in your soul, did you find peace there?

in your heart, in your soul, did you find peace there?

Beloved, gaze in thine own heart,

The holy tree is growing there;

From joy the holy branches start,

And al the trembling flowers they bear.

The changing colours of its fruit

Have dowered the stars with merry light;

The surety of its hidden root

Has planted quiet in the night;

The shaking of its leafy head

Has given the waves their melody,

And made my lips and music wed,

Murmuring a wizard song for thee.

There the Loves a circle go,

The flaming circle of our days,

Gyring, spiring to and fro

In those great ignorant leafy ways;

Remembering all that shaken hair

And how the winged sandals dart,

Thine eyes grow full of tender care;

Beloved, gaze in thine own heart.

Gaze no more in the bitter glass

The demons, with their subtle guile,

Lift up before us when they pass,

Or only gaze a little while;

For there a fatal image grows

That the stormy night receives,

Roots half hidden under snows,

Broken boughs and blackened leaves.

For all things turn to barenness

In the dim glass the demons hold,

The glass of outer weariness,

Made when God slept in times of old.

There, through the broken branches, go

The ravens of unresting thought;

Flying, crying, to and fro,

Cruel claw and hungry throat,

Or else they stand and stiff the wind,

And shake their ragged wings: alas!

Thy tender eyes grow all unkind:

Gaze no more in the bitter glass.

Beloved, gaze in thine own heart

The holy tree is growing there;

From joy the holy branches start,

And all the trembling flowers they bear.

Remembering all that shaken hair

And how the winged sandals dart,

Thine eyes grow full of tender care:

Beloved, gaze in thine own heart.

Now my charms are all o’erthrown,

And what strength I have’s mine own;

Which is most faint;

now t’is true,

I must here be confined by you,

Or sent to Napels.

Let me not,

Since I have my dukedom got

And pardoned the deceiver, dwell

In this bar island by your spell;

But release me from my bands

With the help of your good hands.

Gentle breath of yours my sails

Must fill, or else my project fails,

Which was to please.

Now I want

Spirits to enforce, art to enchant;

And my ending is despair,

Unless I be relieved by prayer,

Which pierces so that it assaults

Mercy itself and frees all faults.

As you from your crimes would pardon’d be,

Let your indulgence set me free.