The Passing of Beauty

Queen Beauty's reign, it is so brief
     upon this dark, benighted land
where life is but a candle flame
     that dies within a single breath
And life therein is only grief
     without the touch of Beauty's hand
     for all untouched succumbs to death
Her kingdom spans the starry sky
     beyond the mortal world, unseen
where seraphim, they freely fly
     and sing of their enduring love
for their fair, radiant maiden Queen

'T is sundered from the Single Pow'r
     descending on this shadowed plain
her name is but a mockery
     of once the glory she did hold
Before the fateful, grievous hour
     when endeth royal Beauty's reign
     consumed by shadows, cruel and cold
Behold, the shadows fast approach
     with their black faces unconcealed
the shadows gather and encroach
     upon Queen Beauty's splend'rous court
and weapons of war they boldly wield

And wherefore canst I stand away
     as Beauty withers in this state
of mortal dreams and mortal thoughts
     that cannot see beyond the stars?
I cannot watch her wane, decay
     as such is common mortal's fate
     to bear mortality's hideous scars
For Time and Death shall slay us all
     and take us to the black abyss
And ere shall lovely Beauty fall
     I draw my dagger from its sheath
And touch her heart with its fatal kiss