The Ghost in the Dream

Part One

Good Baudri, in whose name we sing
Was lord of many fine estates
A prince at least, if not a king
Our praise his goodness rates.

A Lord, within his feather bed
In truth may have no more success
In seeking sleep, so it is said
Than men who own far less.

So Baudri, for his kingdom’s sake
Prayed sleep would come to bless his room
For seven nights he’d lain awake
Bereft in the stygian gloom.

The eighth night, with a heavy heart
Within his chamber did he lay
But now his sleeping soul could part
From bonds which bind the day

His soul, it wandered far and wide
But came to rest before a wood
Where , with his mind’s eye, he espied
A ghostly vision stood.

Part Two

The vision, with a voice of moonbeams spake,
"Good Baudri, why will you not walk more near,
What fear is it which drives you so to quake ?
Mine is a message only you can hear. "

Now Baudri came his voice to find
And spoke, although he knew not why
" Good shade, have I now lost my mind
And do I live or die ? "

" Oh Baudri, husband, can’t you see my face ?"
So said the spirit, drawing to his side
" Its love that helped me draw you to this place
Have you forgot so much since I have died ?"

And Baudri seeing it was so
His wife, beloved, once again,
Spoke words of love to let her know
His anguish and his pain.

"Hush, now , beloved, for the Time draws near
That I must go into the silent wood.
And when I do, I’ll never reappear,
A single answer, tell me, was I good ? "

Part Three

See Baudri weep
For now she starts to fade.
A shade she is
And ever will remain.
For all his wealth
He knows he cannot keep her there,
Within his dream,
Her question ever hanging in the air
A sad refrain,
"Was I good ? "
See Baudri weep,
The word she craves
Is dying on his lips
Sleep will not last forever, Baudri
Say it , say the word which saves her tortured soul
Which makes her whole
Then lets her fade away
Into the silent wood.
Say it, Baudri
Tell her she was good.

Part Four

"No," he replies at length, " Good you were not
For good is sunshine, good is sparkling wine
Good is a friend remembered, once forgot,
Good is a thing that’s little more than fine."

" Finer you were than any man or beast
Greater than all the goodness of the Earth
Brighter than all the Gemstones of the East
Words without count could not describe your worth"

"You were my stars, my golden sun, my moon,
You were my rubies, emeralds and pearls
You were my greatest gift, my perfect boon,
You were my universe, you were my world."

"Now you are gone, I do not smile so much
Laughter does not come easily , its true
Earth seems so cold, since I’m denied your touch,
How good ? My darling, goodness died with you. "

She weeps, yet not from sadness, but from joy,
And for a moment seems to glow anew
"Remember this , my Baudri, darling boy,"
She whispers, "I am ever more with you."

Part Five

Thus with her words his soul takes flight
She fades into the silent wood
But passes in the sheer delight
Of knowing she was good.

And Baudri ? He will sleep full long
Exhausted by his dream led tears
But when he wakes he knows no wrong
Is done, and feels no fear.

"Yes, you are gone, my lady fine
Into the silent wood of sleep
Yet now I know that you were mine
This much of you I keep "

"For you were mine and we were one
And evermore it seems we’ll be
And while my life has course to run
You’ll always be with me."

He lived a long life, great and good
Until released from all his pain
His spirit sought the silent wood
To meet his wife again.

Next topic - the silent wood