"Waylaid"
by Linda McDonald Hite (Copyright)

Out of the stillness of the night,
White on the wings of sinless flight,
Bearing the brunt of hallowed light,
Solitude calls to me.

Every clamorous chaos found,
Every foe from the netherhost drowned
Felled by the fray of ferocity's sound,
Be under, over me.

Every benighted, beleagered host
Every unfurled and unfounded ghost
Talk of the shadows and hide the most;
Leave me where I may be.

Come with me mellow and meager and mild,
Come with me, soul of a little child
Come and be hazy and honied and wild
Always inside my own.

Pushing me, pushing me forward free,
All of the tightened and tetheredmost flee
Off be thy garments with garish glee,
Silkily loosing thee.

Gone be the raiments of iron and steel
Sweet be the beauty of naked reveal,
Flowing and flying and feigning to kneel,
Never to chafe evermore.

Ever the tidings of sea and of sound
Come for thee ever to keep thee unbound
Ever look heavenward, round and round,
Keeping thine eyes thy own.

Run away, runaway fast and free
Let thy feet, only feet, solely thine be
Shackles and shamefuls and sicklies see
None to be owned by thee.

Out of the stillness of nameless dread,
I am the stillest hallowed head,
Safe from the river running red,
I am beside my lord.