Facing the Night

I promise to be brave. I'll face the night,
You'll see my smile when stars are growing dim
And time is short. Whenever things look grim
My courage rises and I bring a light
To unswept hallways where I used to fight,
And now I pray. I know a secret hymn;
The fellow that I once tore limb from limb
Knows it as well. Together we recite:

Your ancient ways are not our current ways.
Here, now, we understand that loss and grief
Are just the other face of sweet relief.
We had been waiting here for several days;
Now we are gone. Our foreheads are ablaze
With what we know now: fever is a thief.