Angel on the Edge of Night

T'was a long and frosty winter's night

Where the violent North winds blew

His doors and windows were shut up tight

And wicked snow flakes flew

Stabbing needles at window panes

Mother Nature was raving mad

And on the banks piled against the home

Out the door came a young strapping lad.

Blinded by the gales was he

But driven with demon fire

The red of rage danced on his face

Proof to this mad desire

T'was in a dream he saw the girl

A maiden pure and fair

And in the dream was told she was lost

Buried deep in the snow somewhere

With frantic heart he hunted deep

Ignoring driving snow

And in his mind he heard her cries

Desperate, weeping, low

Upon a bank a waxen hand

Pushed through from below

He threw the shovel, fell to his knees

Mittened hands pushing back the snow

He dug and dug and the hand did grow

To a delicate female shape

With barely an effort he pulled her close

Into his cabin, warm and safe

Beside the fire she was gently laid

And soon colour began to return

Lips of rose and eyes of blue

Hair as red as a summer's morn

On through the night he watched her sleep

Until she finally woke

With timid gaze and nervous hands

At last she finally spoke

"My kind and hearty country lad

You've saved my troubled heart

I was meant to sleep forever

While human hearts are dark,

But I knew there would be but one

To sacrifice all for me

Igniting hope and faith within the hearts

Of all humanity.

My father said that none would come

But I have proved him wrong

The sweetest breath I've ever breathed

Came just before this dawn,

When just a simple country boy

Carried faith enough for all

And doubted not the urge he got

When he heard my desperate call."

She smiled soft and slowly stood

A caress upon his cheek

The sweetest kiss upon his lips

Turned him from strong to meek.

Her laugh was like the summer rain

As she ventured out the door

With friendly wave she moved to night

The North winds ceased their roar

And on the edge of dawn he had a dream

A world where all were one

On the edge of night he saw her smile

As she flew towards the sun.

              2011 Natasha Head

Winter's Night

Alexei Kondratyevich Savrasov

1830-1897

Another big thank you to Onestop Poetry who has inspired this piece through their Monday Poetry Form.  This weeks look at the ballad is hosted by a new favorite wordsmith of mine, Monty Wheeler.