Fortress Kenneth Hickey The Spirit of Catherine Howard

Childe Roland to the Dark Tower came

Sweet creatures of the word sit reading Alone in cells of separate towers Outside the world of flesh decaying Only God’s voice speaks here still

Silent tears water dry arid soil From which strange hybrid blossoms bloom The emptiness beyond still singing In ancient chords the elders knew

Time breaks into fractured fevers Prayer the only saviour now He died upon a hill in darkness Place of the skull where mothers cry

I die each day in this small room At every dawn again I die.