"Single Phial" lyrics - SKYCLAD

SKYCLAD

"Single Phial"

(Martin Walkyier)

I have walked the earth so many times before your birth
Today is only yesterday's tomorrow
And as a Gardner in Eden it was I who sowed the seed then
I've come to reclaim this life you borrow
Singing "Ring a Ring o' Rosies" for your final lullaby
Have you any prayers to make before you wave your last goodbye?
I bring "A Pocket full o' Posies", lay a wreath to ease my guilt
As the lights go out forever not one drop of blood was spilt

As yet unwritten history
Once more I'll stride the lightning road
Identity of mystery
My burden is Pandora's load
Traversing endless centuries
Disguised behind Death's lipless smile
I hide that my intention is
To pour this single phial

I'd have rather seen your face almost any other place
Still here we meet, always the way in this profession
And as I gaze into your eyes I see the glimmer within dies
From the moment I first make my dark confession
How could I swear I would be there for you until your dying day
Certain in the knowledge that it's not that far away?
So you leave me sitting here bewildered as a new-dead ghost
While I try to justify destroying that which I love most

I lock the door
I pour the single phial

The dark millennium is ending
Final daze of the decayed
And a reign of tears is falling
It's the Judgement Eve parade
Though I wash my hands a thousand times
Still the guilt remains
She stole my heart, I took her life
And yet I never knew her name

Out with a whimper, not with a bang
And they all gathered round while the church bells rang
Singing "Bring out your dead", they'll stretch for miles
To be borne to their graves in single files

The Answer Machine? (1997)