Lyrics

Love Among the Ruins

Where now the soft-hued evening smiles
On pasture empty for miles and miles
A city stood where a noble prince
Wielded peace and war long ages since

Its domes and towers shot up like fires
With golden gates and golden spires
And a wall that 12 might walk abreast
And a million men in armor dressed

Chorus

Oh blood that freezes, blood that burns
For whole centuries of folly, earth’s returns
More than triumph, glory, and all the rest
Love is best, love is best

Now the country scarcely boasts a tree
Where temples and causeways used to be
And chariots that round the wall would race
They’ve vanished now without a trace

One tower’s ruins are all that’s left
Where houseleeks blossom in every cleft
And there’s a girl who waits me there
With eager eyes and yellow hair

Chorus

Where once a king called proudly down
In silken robes and jeweled crown
In simple dress she’ll silent stand
And on my shoulders put either hand

Then beside the stones that mark that place
She’ll give her eyes the first embrace
Then we’ll extinguish sight and speech
In our rush together, each on each

Chorus