Red Queen's Final Refrain

 Red Queen thinks to abdicate
Jester cries a bit too late --
prostrate before the empty throne.
Subject to the quirks of fate,
from hunger none could satiate,
he finds himself alone ... alone.

 Haunting are the tearful strains,
which softly fade till naught remains
but a single, sobbing sigh.
'Tis reputed the Queen is dying,
but in the midst of her goodbying,
he chanced to hear a Raven cry.

 O tell me, Raven, have you seen
what will happen to the Queen?
Tell, me, Raven, do not spare my pain.
Withhold no words from this Jester,
Tell me death can never best her,
Tell me, surely, will she rise again?"

 Tell me whence this soft refrain,
tell me now, tell me plain:
why these tears upon the score?
Why the sadness, why the pain?
Why can't the melody remain
just a song, and nothing more?

 Empty echoes in the hall
falling hard upon the thrall;
echoes haunting, painfully implore:
lonely screams and that is all,
echoes taunting from his call --
empty echoes, nothing more.

 The raven cocked 'er head a bit,
and that's the simple end of it,
just stared, and gave him nothing more.
Then she disappeared from sight
in momentary flash of light,
then came a crescendo in the score.

He stood enthralled by the majesty,
forgetting all the travesty,
he threw himself against the closing door.
The music swelled and filled the room,
tossed aside the cast of gloom, and
he knew she lived, forevermore.

 Long live the Queen!

 Dallas D'Angelo-Gary 08