the hymn of kassiani

i've heard that they call me the woman

who has fallen into many sins

they made me bear myrrh to the burial

and at the graveside

i began to sing

woe to me

all of you sinners

i'm the lady of a moonless night

the darkness to me is my ecstasy

but for my sins i am far from contrite

they dragged me away from the library

i was cast to the bride-show's harsh light

where i told the king i was better than him

and thus earned theophilus' spite

and theo

he thinks i still love him

but i know him

and he knows not a thing

they call me kassiani

the woman who rejected the king

the emperor

he tore down the icons

the images and words thought divine

but in the quiet of my cell i redrew them all

and the name that i signed with was mine

i was scourged with the lash for my impudence

my tears were a fountain of brine

but i conceded no defeat

my groaning heart beats

with defiant blue blood byzantine

and theo

he thinks i still love him

but i know him

and he knows not a thing

don't disregard me as a servant

know me

as the woman who rejected the king

yes i hid from his eyes when he visited

but don't dare think me frightened or meek

i was sick of his ineffable condescension

and i will not kiss those sacred feet

i will make his footsteps into music

to be heard by both heathen and greek

they will mock his meanderings in paradise at twilight

and they'll remember me: kassiani

she who hates silence when it's time to speak

and theo

he thinks i still love him

he knows not the multitude of my sins

they will sing my song after byzantium has gone

the woman who rejected the king

i've heard all the things that they've called me

it's just so many arrows and slings

leave the glory to the stepmother

and to the son

i'm the woman who rejected the king