Poem: Night is Falling
Last night my band played a wonderful brass band arrangement of the song "The Long Day Closes" (it's gorgeous, especially the third verse, starting 2.07, which has the solo horn taking the melody <3), written in 1868 by Henry Fothergill Chorley and Arthur Sullivan. Our evil MD read out the heartbreaking lyrics, and encouraged us to listen to the version sung by "The Kings Singers". Since then I have been a quivering mess of angst-filled weeping, and had to write a poem to try to get it out of my system. So it's all his fault.
Probably overblown, definitely indulgent, possibly you might like it, I don't know, but whatever it is, my clumsy attempt to pay tribute is under this cut. (also posted on A03 here)
Night is Falling
by Camelittle
Shades of grey have a calm beauty
Faint, drifting stripes obscure the trembling lake water
Not for Merlin the discordant clashing colours of the day
Not for now the jarring, urgent clamour of bright sunlight
Crimson fades to umber
Merlin waves an absent arm
The sun dims
Night is falling
The trees whisper their muted grief, voices mingling in sweet harmony
But harmony died when the carefree laughter was muted forever
Lifting his head, he cries out
The birds fall silent
Night is falling
Light has fled.
Fled, and with it sardonic crooked smiles, sweet, joyful grins as bright as Spring
With it, the halo of fine blond hair, now matted and dark
With it, the weight of pain that burdened the long journey
Weariness remains
The clouds weep
Night is falling
The original and vastly superior lyrics under this cut
The Long Day Closes
~Written By Henry Fothergill Chorley and Arthur Sullivan~
No star is o'er the lake,
Its pale watch keeping,
The moon is half awake,
Through grey mist creeping,
The last red leaves fall round
The porch of roses,
The clock hath ceased to sound,
The long day closes.
Sit by the silent hearth
In calm endeavour,
To count the sounds of mirth,
Now dumb for ever.
Heed not how hope believes
And fate disposes:
Shadow is round the eaves,
The long day closes.
The lighted windows dim
Are fading slowly.
The fire that was so trim
Now quivers lowly.
Go to the dreamless bed
Where grief reposes;
Thy book of toil is read,
The long day closes.
Probably overblown, definitely indulgent, possibly you might like it, I don't know, but whatever it is, my clumsy attempt to pay tribute is under this cut. (also posted on A03 here)
Night is Falling
by Camelittle
Shades of grey have a calm beauty
Faint, drifting stripes obscure the trembling lake water
Not for Merlin the discordant clashing colours of the day
Not for now the jarring, urgent clamour of bright sunlight
Crimson fades to umber
Merlin waves an absent arm
The sun dims
Night is falling
The trees whisper their muted grief, voices mingling in sweet harmony
But harmony died when the carefree laughter was muted forever
Lifting his head, he cries out
The birds fall silent
Night is falling
Light has fled.
Fled, and with it sardonic crooked smiles, sweet, joyful grins as bright as Spring
With it, the halo of fine blond hair, now matted and dark
With it, the weight of pain that burdened the long journey
Weariness remains
The clouds weep
Night is falling
The original and vastly superior lyrics under this cut
The Long Day Closes
~Written By Henry Fothergill Chorley and Arthur Sullivan~
No star is o'er the lake,
Its pale watch keeping,
The moon is half awake,
Through grey mist creeping,
The last red leaves fall round
The porch of roses,
The clock hath ceased to sound,
The long day closes.
Sit by the silent hearth
In calm endeavour,
To count the sounds of mirth,
Now dumb for ever.
Heed not how hope believes
And fate disposes:
Shadow is round the eaves,
The long day closes.
The lighted windows dim
Are fading slowly.
The fire that was so trim
Now quivers lowly.
Go to the dreamless bed
Where grief reposes;
Thy book of toil is read,
The long day closes.