Ballad of Casey Deiss

T’was a man of youthful features T’was a boy of sorrowful eyes  Watching out but looking inward tall and stately and full of life  In his life he spoke so rarely in his mind he cried for light  Painting perceptions trying to capture that which he saw in his questioning strife  Once in Lisbon twice in London travelling around for all of his time  Looking for and finding a goddess he took Diana to be his wife  Of the children they’d begotten two had died without knowing life  And the third I know not whereof but if she lives she will yet be kind  Casey had a mark of simple value he had a star between his eyes  In his hands he held an axe blade the Greek symbol of thunder and fire  On a night when the heavens were crying he went out and took his blade  Chopping wood to warm his heartside the lightning came and my brother died  Bring him no wine from far away vineyards tell him no tales of the canyon’s might  But wish him peace and eternal wisdom for he has died and he died by light