Once and long and long ago Before the tales that men now know There were yet tales of deeds done Writ like secret songs unsung Hoarded like treasure and guarded well Guarded by angels and cherubs fell Yet these ancient guardians of Heaven's troves Are thought to wander certain shadowed groves ‘neath starlight Still beyond the sight of men Yet they whisper secrets then Unheard by mortal ear Even so I chanced to hear them I'm not alone, for others hear Lovers who by chance may wander near Then stop to kiss And poets too, they may catch The murmured tales in nighted patch Singers know, and babes have heard While in the womb, the secret word For these tales of deeds and power Have each an appointed hour
In all the works His children do Still he hides from me and you A truer story, a j**el fair An inconsolable secret there Still we quest and some may hear Tales of joy and tales of fear When Heaven does a wondrous thing Angels shout as stars sing Some men look up and it's then they hear The tales of fear It was thus this tale Pa**ed to man from Heaven Hidden well for ages But the magic of the cherub's spell is broken Fast it fled me, fast I followed Through song and dream where it came at last To the secret grove where angels talk Those careless ones saw me not And they let slip in their whispering A secret long forgotten Listen closely, listen well It all began one morning