Black Ships Ate the Sky

I had already seen

Black Ships ate the sky

I was sweet sixteen

The fences folded

And the trees surrounded

Black Ships in the sky

Devouring the clouds

And the thought came to me

Just sweet sixteen and full of night

Who will deliver me from myself?

Who will deliver me from myself?

And I looked up at the sleeping lion

Black Ships ate the sky

Colours untold

Kissing my eyes

To unmake myself

And to be unborn

To be unborn

And not to see

Black Ships in the sky

With their cypress night

Following in the wake

Of the churning rudders

Of Black Ships in the sky

Cartoon Messiahs became

Cartoon Destroyers

If I was unborn

I would have nothing to be grateful for

I would have never seen love

I would have never held cats

I would have never buried my friends

And prayed for their souls

In reddening churches

I would never have kissed

And I would never have wept

And I would never have seen

Black Ships eat the sky

And I would have been unborn

And not have seen circuses

Whilst watching the flowers

Rise flags made of atoms

Who will deliver me from myself?

Who will deliver me from myself?

Who will deliver me

From Black Ships in the sky?

Black Ships ate the sky

And I am unborn