Thief's Lullaby

Have you heard him in the night?
Emptied chests as a crow takes flight,
And it’s by shadow and cunning oh,
No-one’s left to say if it is wrong or right. Silent slit of kukri blade
Poisoned cups laced with dread nightshade
And it’s by shadow and cunning oh,
Nowhere left to hide where his traps aren’t laid. Secrets hid in tight bound books,
Can’t evade beady corvid looks,
And it’s by shadow and cunning oh,
Peeping through the crannies and gaps and nooks. Every life this world makes rough,
Every wrist with its own black cuff,
And it’s by shadow and cunning oh,
Those who learn his secrets find they’re enough. Know the truths of corpses hung,
Whisper lies with a sable tongue,
And it’s by shadow and cunning oh,
You can jump your captors from handcuffs sprung. There’s no doctrine or belief,
He can’t lead into loss and grief,
And it’s by shadow and cunning oh,
Nothing is for certain except the Thief.