Upon a darkened night The flame of love was burning in my breast And by a lantern bright I fled my house while all in quiet rest
Shrouded by the night And by the secret stair I quickly fled The veil concealed my eyes While all within lay quiet as the dead
Oh night thou was my guide Oh night more loving than the rising sun Oh night that joined the lover To the beloved one Transforming each of them into the other
Upon that misty night In secrecy beyond such mortal sight Without a guide or light Than that which burned so deeply in my heart
That fire 'twas led me on And shone more bright than of the midday sun To where he waited still It was a place where no one else could come
Within my pounding heart Which kept itself entirely for him He fell into his sleep Beneath the cedars all my love I gave
From or'er the fortress walls The wind would brush his hair against his brow And with its smoothest hand Caressed my every sense it would allow
I lost myself to him And laid my face upon my lover's breast And care and grief grew dim As in the morning's mist became the light
There they dimmed amongst the lilies fair
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Poem: St. John of the Cross Arranged and adapted: Loreena McKennitt