You lie cradled in my arms, you sleep the sleep of full content.
The summer sun shines through the glade, the gentle grasses gently wave.
This afternoon of peace and calm, of love fulfilled, of heaven sent.
I look down to your sleeping face, the hidden smile, those sweet soft lips,
That soon before I had kissed, the kiss of love, that magic spell,
When blood red passion reached its height, the tingle in my fingertips.
My Bessbrook girl, how can this be? Illicit love on this fine day.
For soon the time draws ever near, when I must go away.
And you must stay.
You stir, and slowly turn around, with open eyes, a gentel smile.
You reach for me again, and curl your arm around my neck.
And once again the passion comes, and I will fly the extra mile.
Together on a summers day, our bodies shared, my mind a wreck.

And so in turn I went away, away from her one dark filled day.
Because my duty made it so, and only love must pay the price.
My body left, but deep inside my soul remained, within my mind.
A photograph was all I had, a smiling face with eyes so young.
And though I promised to return, to Bessbrook town. My love to find.
I never did.
Just one small letter did she send, a letter ripping me in two.
For she had born a baby girl, with white blonde hair, and dimpled chin.
With eyes that mirrored deep blue pools, her daddies daughter through and through.
And I ignored those plaintive tones, those cries of love from deep within,
Because my duty said I should, so my love died, and duty grew.

And then the time I did return, to Bessbrook town, one summers day.
And I did find that glade again, where warm winds blew, and grass bent low.
A place where once young love did live, until my body went away.
And even though the years had passed, I felt the time and passion flow,
As though the very earth had saved that love and lust from years ago.
And once again I found within the deepest hurt for times long past.
The guilt that welled up from inside for what I’d done, for what I’d lost
At such a cost
I held again that photograph, a faded snapshot of a girl from in my deepest past
And slowly, kneeling in that glade, I laid it down upon the grass.
Then standing, turned and walked away, as I had done so long ago,
But this time with a peace, at last
For though we’d never meet again, my Bessbrook girl would always be,
The love of youth, the love of life, the love that lives inside of me.