a new poem for the autumn by Emilio MIller-Lopez...

IIt's a song within us all
A war within the heart
At the gates of twilight
The shadow and the god

Like seasons that must change
And days that must expire
The hero takes the mask off
And walks home through the fire

Legends born from dust
Like the dusk before the night
For the one who drops the berries of day
Is the one who makes them ripe

It's a storm that breaks at dawn
It's the light that is reborn
At the gates of daybreak
Where the midnight meets the morn

Like the leaves that must turn red
Like the petals of desire
She who takes her mask off
Walks home through the night

Legends born from dust
Like the dark before first light
For the one who steals the green leaves of day
Is the one who gave them life

May the thorned heart find peace
When the seasons tale is told
Behold the sun and moon
By the flame and the cold

At the twilight we where they meet
Between the day and night
A ritual of dark
And a prayer of light...

New Woodland Lyrics by Emilio Miller-Lopez

Luna... calls on the souls of
all those departed
since last we met
gathered, in circles of darkness
they join in her light
where they may rest

Awaken the night
No time for sleeping
The world is weeping
Feeling her pull
Awaken the night
With candles burning
Feel the returning
As she grows full

Bella... walks in the darkness
In lavender moonlight
She calls them in
Circles, gathered in forests
Watching the journey
of departed kin

Awaken the night
No time for sleeping
The world is weeping
Feeling her pull
Awaken the night
With candles burning
Feel the returning
As she grows full

Daughter... women of shadows
The time of returning
Is at last at hand
The songs of those who prophess
of the daughter returning
are upon our lips

Awaken the night
No time for sleeping
For the world is weeping
Feeling her pull
Awaken the night
With candles burning
Feel the returning
As she grows full
Awaken the heart
And never forget
Release all regret
To luna tonight
Awaken the soul
No time for sleeping
Til the world once weeping
Is held to her breast...

To luna to rest....

new poetry and music by Emilio Miller-Lopez of Woodland:

In a dark autumn wood,
The winding tower stands,
surrounded by a gate,
The latch within her hands,

The blood-red dying leaves,
Falling at her feet,
Kneeling at her presence,
The muse he bows to greet,

She opens the tower gate,
Yet still he only bows,
She whispers to him freedom,
Caressing his soft brow,

He stands before her silent,
Stands and does not flee,
He whispers back so softly
To the one who holds the key,

So long I have waited,
For one to set me free,
Yet now the gate is open,
My heart belongs to thee...

By the great stone hearth,
This tapestry still waves,
By breeze through the window,
Singing stories of their days,

The blood-red woven threads
Tell a tale of the heart,
Of ageless woodland lovers,
That time could never part,

When he wanders in the forests,
In time his true heart yearns,
Through the gate that's still wide open,
To the tower he returns,

She opens the window,
And far below he bows,
The spiral of their journey,
Is the sign upon his brow,

So long I have waited,
For one to set me free,
Yet now the gate is open,
My heart belongs to thee...

©woodlandmusic 2007

written by Emilio Miller-Lopez for Kelly Miller-Lopez in March of 2005

Oh Mary spreads the roses
Across her altar
She welcomes in the shadows
And the angels who fell
She's been waiting for the leaves
That fall in autumn
She's been praying for the harvest
In the land where the hungry dwell...

Well it's a long road down
Running from her shadow
It's a long way down
To the bottom of her sea
If you're thrown from heaven
Or cast out from the garden
She'll hold you in the moonlight
In the wilderness of eve...

The shadows of evening
Fall on marble towers
Through temples in ruin
Hear the echoes of her steps
Running from the garden
Tumbling away from heaven
How the fallen love her
And the mercy of her kiss...

Well it's a long way down
Away from her mercy
So cradle me down
To the bottom of her sea
She's a virgin of protection
Who brings me resurrection
Lover of the holy
Mother of the sea...

Oh mercy true and innocent
She lights the candles
And blesses the circle
With tears and soft words
She's been waiting for the fallen
Caring for the children
And praying for the forgotten
From the darkness of her sea

Well it's a long road down
Running from her shadow
Going down
To the bottom of her sea
If you fall in love with Eden
You know that she's the reason
Running from the garden
just to hold her hand...

And if you're thrown from Heaven
Or cast out from the garden
You'll find the Secret Rose
In the wilderness of Eve....

For La Bella Pellegrina
written for Kelly and sung on my knees at our wedding in 1999

Oh giving mother of humble means,
Weaver of children dreams,
Peasant Queen with sleeves of green,
Stitcher of the seams,

Wearing a crown…a flowery wreath,
Dressed in a gown…of vines and leaves
With eyes of a forest of green…

Oh faerie of the four leaf clover,
Blossoming in the night,
Your garden is a royal court,
A forest of earthly delight

Dancing in…the pale moonlight
On a ravens wings… carrying life
Through the darkest hour…taking flight,

Singing sonnets to the stars,
Bearing a silver moon,
Carry the child in loving arms,
From the palace of the womb

Tying garlands… in the forest shade,
In the moonlit waters…beauty wades
With ribbons… in your long dark braids…

Oh giving mother of endless hope,
Oh ageless tree of life
Queen of the grail of broken hearts,
The poets only wife…

Wearing a crown…a flowery wreath,
Dressed in a gown of vines and leaves
With eyes of a forest of green…

Oh the Peasant Queen…