Mourning Song

He's turned his back upon the fire,
he's turned his face away;
he's broke, he's cold and far from home;
he knows he's lost the way.
His children fled from his disease;
His wife's forgot his name;
He's traveled far but can't remove
the burden of his shame.
He wishes that he knew a way
to make his wrongs all right,
to bring the hearts of those he loved
back to his lonely night.
But now his path is solitude,
the way leads on alone;
the things he did, the pains he caused,
are only his to own.
There are some wounds that can't be healed,
some words he can't unsay;
the things he did that led him to
the mourning of this day.
So he will wake and think and write
of all he had that's lost;
the rage he knew, the words he hurled,
and just how much that cost.
He's turned his back upon the fire,
he's turned his face away;
he's broke, he's cold and far from home,
he knows he's lost the way.
  - mce