Sunset Song
I walked upon a mountain-side
Beneath the sky, in heather bright -
The purple flash on mountain blue
In soft green ferns; - and then I heard a tune -
As if the colours turned into the song.
The fragnant tune so soft and strong
Was catchier than yellow gorse
And so I went to see the source
Of this fluid, gentle force.
Following the thoughtful flute
By and by I found its root - ... -
Breath I held and hid myself:
For I saw a faery elf -
As if the tune became a boy.
Merry, there he sat in joy
On a grey, full ancient rock,
Playing lightly, with a mock,
As if the world was but a joke.
Suddenly, the song is spent;
And he looks to where I bend;
And his crystal eyes are strange -
Blue like lakes and green like snakes;
And of course he knows I'm here.
"Welcome, Vagrant", then I hear.
"Did you like my sunset song?
You've been wandering so long,
Now you're here where endings throng...
Look, the sky is fading fast,
Gloaming's catching up at last;
Come with me unto the night
While the magic's on the tide".
"Yes", I said, "I'll come with you
When your brown locks turn blue,
When your flute becomes a frog -
When I'm ready for the walk".
I stand up and look at him
Through the air bleak and dim
That closes on the sunset's rim.
Lo, his locks are shining blue
And - what happened to the flute?
There's a round croaking frame...
Yes - of course. I know the game.
"You will never ready be...
If you will, then come with me".
And I know not what to say
As the sunset fades away
And the colours all decay...
Now the first stars of the sky
Gleam and twinkle in his eyes
As he waits for my reply -
And I bend my head: (breath) .."Aye".
In the darkness that befell
There's a soft grip on my hand -
Soft and warm like my farewell
As we fly to Faeryland...
For the poem, that's the end.
.
Beneath the sky, in heather bright -
The purple flash on mountain blue
In soft green ferns; - and then I heard a tune -
As if the colours turned into the song.
The fragnant tune so soft and strong
Was catchier than yellow gorse
And so I went to see the source
Of this fluid, gentle force.
Following the thoughtful flute
By and by I found its root - ... -
Breath I held and hid myself:
For I saw a faery elf -
As if the tune became a boy.
Merry, there he sat in joy
On a grey, full ancient rock,
Playing lightly, with a mock,
As if the world was but a joke.
Suddenly, the song is spent;
And he looks to where I bend;
And his crystal eyes are strange -
Blue like lakes and green like snakes;
And of course he knows I'm here.
"Welcome, Vagrant", then I hear.
"Did you like my sunset song?
You've been wandering so long,
Now you're here where endings throng...
Look, the sky is fading fast,
Gloaming's catching up at last;
Come with me unto the night
While the magic's on the tide".
"Yes", I said, "I'll come with you
When your brown locks turn blue,
When your flute becomes a frog -
When I'm ready for the walk".
I stand up and look at him
Through the air bleak and dim
That closes on the sunset's rim.
Lo, his locks are shining blue
And - what happened to the flute?
There's a round croaking frame...
Yes - of course. I know the game.
"You will never ready be...
If you will, then come with me".
And I know not what to say
As the sunset fades away
And the colours all decay...
Now the first stars of the sky
Gleam and twinkle in his eyes
As he waits for my reply -
And I bend my head: (breath) .."Aye".
In the darkness that befell
There's a soft grip on my hand -
Soft and warm like my farewell
As we fly to Faeryland...
For the poem, that's the end.
.