Young Finty McGinty and Beau Barney Deeley

Hear here : http://www.somethingstupid.plus.com/fintymcginty.html

(Supernatural pseudo-folk narrative/itty-bitty-ditty heavily influenced
by the tune of the "Sailors' Alphabet Song" on Fairport Convention's
"Babbacombe Lee")

Young Finty McGinty and beau Barney Deeley
Were sat carving their names in the silver birch tree
When from out of the clouds shot a sharp, shaft of light
And young Finty McGinty did tremble with fright

"Oh sweet girl child," cried Barney, "don't flee from my arms
for I know none beside you can offer such charms,
why when I was a lad in my why-yelledest dream
I could picture no eye with so seering a gleam."

But the wench, with a wrench, from her lover did start
Clasping hands to her head, to her throat, to her heart
"Don't you know what you've seen ? Don't you know what's exposed
?
The rift cannot be healed, I feel sure I'm disposed

to return not to Him nor to come back with you
although by His good grace I did swear to be true."
And with tears o'erflowing she feigned a dead swoon
So poor dear Barney Deeley began a low croon :

"Oh lost love of my life, what have you done to me
for I did troth my sad soul solely unto thee ?
Though your slumbers look gentle you are savage cruel
But by God and the Devil I'll not be your fool !"

Swift, unflinching he groped for his eager pen-knife
And delivered a thrust set to end Finty's life
Though he grabbed and he stabbed with a keen momentum
Severed not was the maiden, her blood did not come

Violent back he recoiled in disgust at his act
And he sobbed out his anguish's remorseful pact :
"Oh praise be to the Lord for preventing my crime
and not plucking this bloom from the Earth in her prime.

Tell me God, send a sign, show me what I must do,
guide my penance, recompense, refresh me a-new."
But the sky remained still and his love did not move
And he learned of no way to his loyalty prove.

"Finty dear, you're my lamb, please awake for me now."
Barney sighed and he cried and he kissed her white brow
'til she stirred with a motion of quiescent charm
Deeley purred with emotion cut short by alarm

Then sent reeling, shocked, ashen, agape and aghast
Barney Deeley, dumbstruck, blinked and winked at what passed
For his girl she had vanished from under his nose
The man span to the east and her misty wraith rose

"When you called me your 'Angel' and swelled so with pride
and then whispered up close that I should be your bride
brutal mortal, unknowing, frames truth's epithet
and now how will you live with the bitter regret ?"

"Blessed Finty, don't leave me, don't say you are dead
oh please offer me some explanation instead.
My dark wrath was short-lived, sparked by duplicity
now web-strangled am I by this complicity."

"Doomed rash human you rushed where my sunny tread dreads
ferocity's folly (w)hol(l)y butchered the threads
for the "He" of my words was the "He" of "The Word"
which the waste of your haste has so surely abjured.

But darling beady B.D. you still have my thanks
as I will not forget how you felt at my flanks
your tempestuous stance assures me re-entry
past the high gates of Heaven, the realm you don't see.

Oh, a proud seraphim locked her sights on this plane
so compulsive, impulsive, impassioned, insane -
Longing, crazed, you shall bind me no longer, I'm gone
but the afterglow's vibrant as ever it shone."

Young Finty McGinty and beau Barney Deeley
Last crossed palms and the Lord at the Tree of Jahweh
Though he 'knows' her no more he will never know more
Of the hallowing hollowing crowning care's core.