The Golden Mirror

In the depths of the forest, where the trees are tall and old

Lies a cottage made of stone, with a story to be told

It's said to be the home of a woman, with eyes of emerald green

And hair that flows like a river, the strangest woman ever seen

She spends her days in solitude, with her potions and her spells

And the creatures of the forest, they know her secrets well

For they say that in the night time, when the moon is shining bright

She dances with the spirits, until the morning light

One day I ventured closer, to this cottage all alone

And I saw her in the window, with a look that chilled my bones

Her eyes were glowing fiercely, and her hair was like a flame

And she beckoned me inside, and I went without a name

The inside of the cottage, was just as strange as she

With walls that seemed to pulse, and a floor that writhed like sea

The woman spoke no words, but led me to a room

And there she showed me something, that filled me with a gloom

A mirror made of gold, hung from the ceiling high

And as I gazed into it, my world began to die

For my reflection was not me, but a creature of the night

With wings of black and red, and eyes that shone with fright

I tried to turn away, to run back to the light

But the woman held me there, with a power strong and bright

And as I watched in terror, my reflection took a life

And the woman cackled madly, with a sound like sharpened knives

I thought I'd never leave that place, but suddenly I woke

Back in the world I knew, with a feeling of revoke

And as I ran away from there, with my heart a pounding drum

I knew I'd never forget the cottage, or the woman who had come

For in that strange and twisted place, I learned a lesson new

That sometimes what we think is real, is just a shade or two

And appearances can fool us, as they did me that night

And now I know to be careful, and to trust my own sight

So if you ever find that cottage, with its walls of living stone

And the woman with emerald eyes, who calls you with a moan

Be careful what you wish for, and know that things aren't as they seem

For the cottage and the woman, are the strangest of all dreams.