We Fear Thy Words

(The Seventeenth of the Black Hole Ballads)

WE fear thy words, oh gentle master;
Thou needest not fear ours;
For that would only cause disaster
And give thee sleepless hours.

We fear thy mien, thy tones, thine anger;
Thou needest not fear ours.
We know thy laziness, thy languor—
Thou needest not know ours!