When love is here

I'll wait just one moment, to blow out the candle
I'll watch your gentle face, in the soft warm light
It's been such a hard day, you deserve to be sleeping
You've been so strong when I have been so very weak
The trials of life, when sorrow knows no bounds
When words cannot be found
What use are words of consolation
When love is here with me.

Dutiful love may be a refuge
That will keep you safe from cold and prying eyes
But such simplicity, must uneasy lie
When a touch can take your breath away

I'll wait just one moment, to blow out the candle
I'll watch your gentle face, in the soft warm light
On this of all our days, you deserve to be sleeping
Let me watch over you, let peace regain your heart
The trials of life, when sorrow knows no bounds
When words cannot be found
What use are words of consolation
When love is here with me.

Outside the walls of this our refuge
The storm still makes us fearful in its rage
As hearts inconstancy, will uneasy cry
And the bitter clouds of fear stain every page

I'll wait just one moment, to blow out the candle
I'll watch your gentle face, in the soft warm light
It's been such a hard day I thought I was dreaming
My tears arose as if the night had stole the day
And on the wind, I heard your silence sound
With words I never found
What use are words
When love is here, when love is here, when love is here
With you.

This is a difficult one.

The idea originally came when a friend of mine lost a child in a cot death. I tried to write a poem about that, but found it impossible: it was either too emotional or too clinical, there was no reasonable middle way.

But it was such a shattering thing that I couldn't leave the idea alone. Eventually I tried to turn it into a song, but even that foundered because I didn't know enough about the relationship my friend had with his wife.

But then I knew another couple rather better and I imagined how they would deal with the problem. And everything fell into place - I could understand how their intimacy would cope.

At that time I wanted to write a song specifically for Sally and she used her wonderful ability to move from soft introduction to clear declamatory top notes to make something rather special.