Like Beauty & The Beast (The Tale of Psyche & Eros)
Music, 2006 • Lyrics, 2016
Photo courtesy of Rain Love AMR
Psyche’s loveliness was sung throughout the islands
But goddess beauty frightened mortal men
Jealous Aphrodite sent her son to work his mischief
May that girl fall for an ogre man
Eros loosed his silver bow, reached for a magic arrow
Tripping when he saw her, pricked his Olympian hand
Lost in love, Eros spread his wings to flee from Aphrodite
His mother’s wounded heat heart would never mend
Like Beauty and the Beast
An angry monster was unleashed
Like Beauty and the Beast
So was love
Rising in the east
Moonlight filled the heavens
Preparing for the feast
The Fates worked their knot
Preparing for the feast
The Fates worked their knot
As no man ever asked for Psyche’s hand in marriage
Her father sought the oracle of distant Delphi
“Your daughter’s stirred the wrath of a spiteful immortal
“Throw her from the rock floating in the sky”
As she fell abandoned Psyche yearned for darkness
Invisible feathers / gently lifted her high
Psyche awoke in a palace bright with wonders
Her invisible lover with her every night
Like Beauty & the Beast
Psyche lived in splendid isolation
Like Beauty & the Beast
She was loved
Rising in the east
Sunlight nourished Psyche’s garden
Preparing for the feast
The Fates worked their knot
Preparing for the feast
The Fates worked their knot
Like Beauty and the Beast, Psyche’s sisters churned with envy
“This love of yours is a monster, spinning lies
“When he falls asleep, ignore his command and light the oil lamp
“Prepare yourself for a terrible sight”
Psyche’s lamp revealed a god of such perfection
Tripping when she saw him, scorched his Olympian hand
So betrayed, Eros spread his wings flew from mortal Psyche
Psyche’s shattered heart would never mend
Like Beauty and the Beast
The course of true love never did run smooth
Like Beauty and the Beast
Where is love?
Wand’ring in the east
Psyche now a beggar woman
A stranger to the feast
The Fates worked their knot
A stranger to the feast
The Fates worked their knot
Psyche chanced upon a ruined temple
There confessed her mistake, her undying love
In an antechamber, listening Eros felt his anger melt
In a blaze of glory lifted Psyche up
High on Mt. Olympus twelve immortals sat in judgment
Eros asks that Psyche be his forever
High on Mr. Olympus twelve immortals felt the power of love
“For eternity — together”
Like Beauty and the Beast
Psyche survives the slaughter
Like Beauty and the Beast
So does love
Rising in the east
Eros and Psyche divine forever
Celebrate the feast
The Fates seal the knot
Celebrate the feast
The Fates seal the knot
© Kirtland C. Peterson, 2006/2016
