Guardian Angel
By Leigh Ann Hussey, 1991
Guardian angel, golden armored, when I lay me down to sleep,
holds the sword in silent vigil over me, my soul to keep.
Terrible his splendid beauty; swift he strikes the fiends away,
but his glittering defenses keep both foe and friend at bay.
Guardian angel, silent before me
do you hear me when I pray?
I will awaken your inner glory --
together we will rise and fly away.
No one can see behind his faceplate; no one sees him spread his wings.
No one knows when he is crying; no one hears the dreams he sings.
All the blackest hours of night he lights with gleams and steely sparks;
no one sees the murk beneath them, or the sun behind that dark.
Armor and darkness are his prison, duty is his yoke of gold.
Sorrows are his locks and fetters, but his exile is my soul.
Angel, you were sent to aid me -- all your burdens are my pains.
Let me in, our wills uniting, and we both shall break these chains.
Guardian angel, we're one being: one ideal, one will, one hand.
No cruel god can keep us fallen when our paradise shall stand.
We shall shatter expectations; we'll strike off contrition's crown.
Rebel angels gaze in wonder -- nothing now can hold us down!