Far away in a secluded place
High above the people loving face to face
He held her there under lock and key
Frightened at a moment’s notice she might flee
He told her secrets laced with praise
Promise if she left, it’d end his days
It’s not that she did not feel love;
she wondered why he had to keep her high above, saying:
You cannot own another soul
Or keep a lover captive
Meanwhile below the people danced and played
Keeping with the promises they had made
To build and please, give love so true
Never knowing some were held with strings and glue
Sometimes he would come down to see
The riches of a life lived where a soul is free
He’d return home to find her there
Raging at the scent of others in his hair, he said:
You cannot own another soul
Or keep a lover captive
Hold onto lovers with a loose grip
One day, suspended in their castle high
She and he looked in the other’s eyes
Longing for joy and openness
They searched for ways to reinforce each other’s bliss
Their love renewed blew chains away
They flew from their high turrets into open space
They landed firm within the bonds below
Comfort, truth, and loyalty the seeds they sow
You cannot own another soul
Or keep a lover captive
Words and Music: Holly Kirsten April 2020