ARE GLOWING IN THE SKY

STARS SHIMMER, AND THE MOON IS FULL

OVER A FIELD OF RYE

IT'S HARVEST TIME, AND THE WORKERS SLAVE

IN THE PALENESS OF IT'S LIGHT

THE DAY IS DONE, BUT THE WORK IS NOT

THEY'LL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHT

THEY'LL WORK WITH SICKLE AND TWINE IN HAND

'TIL THE MORNING COMES AROUND

AND CHOP EACH STALK OF GRAIN UNTIL

THERE'S NOTHING LEFT BUT STUBBLED GROUND

 

THE JEWELS OF ST. ARIES

LOOK WITH COMPASSION ON THEM ALL

AND WATCH AS THEY, STONE BY STONE

BEGIN TO BUILD A WALL

THAT TRAVELS THE CIRCUMFERENCE

OF THIS GREAT, MIGHTY FIELD OF RYE

THAT STRETCHES FAR BEYOND THE REACH

OF THE LONELY NAKED EYE

THERE'S NO BEGINNING, AND NO END

TO THIS MASSIVE WALL OF STONE

AS EACH WORKER FALLS TO HIS DEATH

ONE IS LEFT ALONE

TO TOIL IN THE BURNING SUN

AND THE DIM LIGHT OF THE MOON

HE WORKS HIS FINGERS TO THE BONE

AND HE GETS NO TEA AT NOON

 

BUT THE JEWELS OF ST. ARIES

LOOK WITH COMPASSION TO HIS SOUL

AND WATCH OVER EVERY STONE HE LAYS

EACH BOULDER THAT HE'LL ROLL

AS IF IN THE HELL OF CISYPHUS

HE LIVES ALONE TO DIE

WITH THE MADDENING ANTICIPATION FOR

THE ANNUAL HARVEST OF THE RYE

WHEN ONCE AGAIN HE'LL WORK ALONE

TO EXPOSE WHAT LIES BENEATH

THE CROP FOR WHICH HE HOLDS COMPLETE DISDAIN

NO ONE TO SHARE HIS GRIEF

'TIL ONE NIGHT, WHEN HE CLIMBED THE MOUND

OF ROCK THAT FED THE WALL

LIKE STANDING UP ON THOMSEN HILL

HE HEARD THE VOICE OF A CHILD CALL

AND HE SMOTE THE EARTH WITH THE ROD OF HIS MOUTH

HIS CAPTORS DEFEATED WITH THE BREATH OF HIS LIPS

AND HE SCALED THE WALL THAT HELD HIM IN

IN THE DARK OF A LUNAR ECLIPSE

AND THE JEWELS OF ST. ARIES SMILED ON HIM

FROM WAY OUT IN DEEP SPACE

AND THE SMALL CHILD LED HIM FAR AWAY

HE DISAPPEARED WITHOUT A TRACE 

 

AND THE JEWELS OF ST. ARIES

LEFT THE WRITING ON THE WALL

IT SAID, "HE WHO HAS THE FINAL LAUGH

WILL SURVIVE THE FINAL FALL

AND HE WHO SURVIVES THE FINAL FALL

WILL GET HIS TEA AT NOON

AND NEVER HAVE TO SLAVE AGAIN

BENEATH THE HARVEST MOON"

 

 

Copyright 2003, by David L. Heilman

 

A poem written by David Heilman. 

Music inspired by Bob Dylan's "The Ballad Of Frankie Lee And Judas Priest"

 

Personnel:

Dave Heilman- recitation, acoustic guitar and harmonica

Zach Bailey- organ, electric guitar, bass and drums

 

engineer- Zach Bailey

Produced by Zach Bailey & Dave Heilman