Sing the Four Quarters

[starduchess]

Thought you all could enjoy a little poetry.  This was written by me several years ago as a response to a novel by Tanya Huff called Gate of Darkness, Circle of Light and the characters and plot belong to her.  It's made for the protagonist, a bard, and sums up the story pretty well so no need to have read the book first.  There was an old medieval tune in my head while composing it which gave me the rhythm and rhyme scheme.

Sing the Four Quarters

Sing the four quarters and dance in the wind.
Play the guitar or the harp till the end.
For you will be needed along with your friends
To draw the four quarters and help stop the end.

Sing the four quarters on flute or on lyre
Or all will be found on the funeral pyre.
And watch what you say or become Darkness prey
And find yourself burning in Hell's hottish clay.

Sing the four quarters or you may be next
But the Light has grown strong and the Darkness is vexed.
While they are out fighting whole battles galore,
Bring out the quarters to settle the score.

Sing the four quarters and open the veil
Of the Earth Goddess, so strong, olde, and pale.
Let spring and bright summer, fierce winter and fall,
Three-souls-in-one bring the last hope for all.

For on this black day the earth just might end
And a terrible reign of great pain will begin,
Unless you can stop it, scared bard of the city,
By ringing the quarters and waking the deity.

So, sing the four quarters with great joy and mirth
For you 'lone must save all the creatures on earth
By dancing and playing and singing the parts
With all of your Love, Hope, Courage and Heart.