The last goodbye.

I was back in the old town,
a town of long memories,
where the night sky hides the stars,
and the moon is sad when she passes by,
familiar walls are crumbling,
revealing secrets that speak of shame and disgrace,
stories are whispered so the dead can't hear,
welcoming coal fires no longer burned,
and warm tea pots have long gone cold.

We met at the church with no bells,
stained glass windows have dulled with neglect,
the path to its doors well worn and cracked,
for sinners seeking salvation,
preoccupied youth walk by with vacant stares,
and the old mothers and fathers watch discretely at the gates,
speaking with polite nods and knowing smiles.

You wanted me stay at the house of the wilted red rose,
where a tattooed man stood guard at the gate with his sons,
just like a man from a book of yore,
you crucified your first born for the sins you committed,
winds of forgiveness carried me to her heart,
healing hands soothed the pain,
kisses took the tears from my eyes,
she reached into me and found my soul,
and breathed life into a heart you never felt beat.

When blood dripped from his hands,
after he plunged a knife into your admirers heart,
the streets echoed with cries of that bloodstained night,
you told me I was his bastard son,
the killer with the deepest black eyes,
and you said I was the guilty one,
for stealing your dreams and escape,
living in fear for his return,
your eyes were always watching the door,
afraid of the gaze of the soulless black eyes,
your ears listening for those ominous footsteps,
you enslaved your mind to the black eyed mans return,
a murderer, a theif and father of a bastard son.

I came to the church with no bells,
not for my own forgiveness, but to deliver yours,
we've both been silent for too many years,
the murderer with stygian eyes burns in hell,
let the angels of this church weep for your disgrace,
and the man on the mercy seat decide your fate,
my only crime was being born,
yet I carried the guilt and shame,
for being born out wedlock,
I leave you now for the last time,
and bury all our pain and suffering,
at the church with no bells,
I came to say my final goodbye,
I shed a tear for the few good memories we shared,
and kiss your name carved into the grave stone.