The poem, "Late Lament", by drummer Graeme Edge, of The Moody Blues.

Breath deep The gathering gloom
Watch lights fade From every room
Bedsitter people Look back and lament
Another day's useless Energy spent
Impassioned lovers Wrestle as one
Lonely man cries for love And has none
New mother picks up And suckles her son
Senior citizens Wish they were young

Cold hearted orb That rules the night
Removes the colours From our sight
Red is gray and Yellow white
But we decide Which is right
And Which is an Illusion

From the song, "Nights in White Satin" (1967), sung by The Moody Blues. Music by Justin Hayward. All the Ircink's are big Moody Blues fans. I get an email blurp every so often from the band's website reminding of upcoming events. Just got one and started thinking about the band I really listened to more the The Beach Boys at first (it was The Beatles initially). When my brother and I were very young, my father - who was a musician but not playing anymore - would make us lie down in front of the stereo (those big all-in-one systems from the 1970's) with headsets on and listen to the album, Days of Future Passed, which featured this song. It was a long album for two little kids to listen to - especially that type of music - and we'd get up 'cause we'd had enough and my father would yell, 'Hey, dickheads (which he still calls us) - you're not done. It's a concept album - you have to listen to it from start to finish.' Which it was (he was a musician).

We've seen "The Moodies" a few times. Awesome concerts. Here's the link for Graeme Edge performing Late Lament during a concert: http://youtube.com/watch?v=RjxSdnydaGU, and here's the entire song (sans poetry break) from the late 60's: http://youtube.com/watch?v=9muzyOd4Lh8