Amongst the Lilies Fair

THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL

Words by St. John of the Cross;
arranged and adapted by Loreena McKennitt, Music by Loreena McKennitt, From the Quinlan Road recording The Mask And Mirror

Upon a darkened night
the flame of love was burning in my breast
And by a lantern bright
I fled my house while all in quiet rest
Shrouded by the night
And by the secret stair I quickly fled
The veil concealed my eyes
while all within lay quiet as the dead

Oh night thou was my guide
of night more loving than the rising sun
Oh night that joined the lover
to the beloved one
transforming each of them into the other
Upon that misty night
in secrecy, beyond such mortal sight
Without a guide or light
than that which burned so deeply in my heart
That fire t'was led me on
and shone more bright than of the midday sun
To where he waited still
it was a place where no one else could come

Within my pounding heart
which kept itself entirely for him
He fell into his sleep
beneath the cedars all my love I gave
From o'er the fortress walls
the wind would his hair against his brow
And with its smoothest hand
caressed my every sense it would allow

I lost myself to him
and laid my face upon my lover's breast
And care and grief grew dim
as in the morning's mist became the light
There they dimmed amongst the lilies fair
there they dimmed amongst the lilies fair
there they dimmed amongst the lilies fair

Lyric reprinted by permission. ©1994 Quinlan Road Music (SOCAN/BMI) throughout the world.
In Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Australia, all rights are administered by Quinlan Road Music.
Throughout the rest of the world, all rights are co-published by Universal Music Publishing Group.