Death bet

On a barque on the shores of a tranquil sea,
Layman's ark for an ore-reddened quill. See
Oh my dear, oh my drear dawn flower bud:
The letters I lay down, I lay down with my blood.

Thou were in my arms, but when blue cold wind blew,
And dissolved thy charms, and thy phantom flew,
Sleepless, breathless, my heavy heart, in nothingness,
Thrown as Fate's dart I was stabbed to madness.

Shed no tear! Weep no more! For this full moon
Holds, my dear, the holy cure! Hastily, soon!
I shall hold, my deer, thy heart against mine:
Be bold, show no fear! Words written: I recline.

My feet were walking me on the shores of the world
Gleaning blind illusions. My mind was so knurled,
Purled, hurled, twirled, shred, torn, tattered, ragged, riddled with worms...
But I met him! This holy stranger, affirms
He can open for me Hell's nauseating Gate
And free thou from the flames that would our hearts cremate!

Too good to be true, or too true to be good?
So generous a man, of the highest priesthood!
His only request was: that I wrote this note
And come at full moon on this very same boat.

I'll be there soon, my autumn nightingale,
When the Sun rises, steadfast, when blows the gale,
When my hands reach at last the lodestone of thy jail!
We'll swim hand in hand, we'll escape from Hell.

Even if we don't, if that holy man lied,
For red-dyed paper and dead man on a ride,
What worth is my blood when I am no more?
And I am no more without whom I adore.