Beseeched she, the Night for Beauty,
and beauty it was she found;
Glanced she at the mirror silv'ry,
and beauty she saw profound;

Raised she her arms to sky; she swore,
all shall her beauty behold;
From then on, Night's blessing she bore,
Walked proud, did she, so fair;Cold.

Wore she, for years, the Crown aloft,
and velvet Kiss on her brow,
Led she, the Dance, ways stern, ways soft,
and for years fulfilled her vow.

Thus grew in peace Gloriana fair,
flowers bloomed in woodland light,
Thus drifted sweet the forest air,
fauna roamed without a plight.

Praised she, the Night, for all was good,
and to Raven paid respect;
soil, water, air; the very wood,
life unmarred, almost perfect.

Basked, did she, in the storm's false calm,
heedless of the looming tests:
Dark Yokes on the wings of sad psalms,
Victim-Queen of Three Fates' jests.

Tied was, her Doom, to Cities' vice,
and theirs to her first task's fruit,
but deaf they were to Counsels wise,
and rendered pure futures moot.

Turned then the clockwork gyres of Fate,
warped lives bound by choices weft,
blind moths dazzled by fire;Light's bait,
First World now's forever cleft.

Crystal winds brought her Soulless test,
'las! She failed;Night's towers fell;
Life and Mind did Almighty wrest,
and left her a fallen belle.

Bide, did she, her dark time alone,
hope bereft, swathed in lament,
'neath black roots by blacker stone; till
Lady Thorn eased her torment.

But ceaseless still are her rues; for
her comfort is still transient;
Night's vassal-crone and vessel-muse,
New Moon's beldam black; ancient.