Night of the Sidhe
The sun falls low, behind the hills
as the gloaming casts the land
in shadow and in fading light
and the wind blows over the water.
In the half-light they come…
They come to dance,
They come to play,
with we trusting mortal souls.
So lock tight the oaken door,
slide the iron bolt against the night.
Stoke the hearth fire high
and croon your children a lullaby.
In the half-light they come…
They come on moonbeams,
They come on the breeze,
Those wisps, those Fae, the Sidhe.
In the half-light they come…
So shiver, humans, as they pass,
secure your shutters fast.
Lest they take you with them.
In the half-light they have come…
They have come to laugh,
They have come to sing,
their beautiful voices, calling
For mortals everywhere…
To join their night,
to glory in their light,
to frolic with the fireflies,
and whisper to the trees.
While the wolf howls on the hill
and the wind tickles at the ear.
In the rivers the salmon speak,
and the stones scream from the earth.
Dance with the Sidhe, they cry,
dance my lovelies, and be free.
For in the half-light they come…
to reap from mortals everywhere
They sing of bliss,
and feasts and joy,
they dance in beauty,
in light serene.
They tell of paradise,
let you walk with gods;
in the night you live
an age of wonders.
In the half-light…
With your mortal soul…
They are splendour to behold
Captivating, mesmerizing,
tossing your dreams in the air,
offering harmony and joy.
A heaven in the half-light…
But as with all things,
a price must be paid.
To look upon immortal light
and dance with gods,
even for one eve,
such play will leave its mark.
A longing on the heart.
Of mortals everywhere…
With the dawn, a fortunate few
will depart with them
and leave behind this world of men.
The rest will remain upon the earth,
left here, lost in their wake
cursed to wander to their tune.
Friends will fall away,
love will wither.
As their song consumes.
In the half-light they come for you…
As they came for him…
Night after night,
they beckoned to his will.
Night after night,
he answered them.
He danced, he laughed,
in glades, on moonlight,
but never again with me,
only ever with them.
A pawn turning in their game.
In the half-light they took my love…
They toyed with him, used him,
until his bones lay white,
broken on the ground
under their feet.
Glinting in the half-light…
So heed me well,
when I tell you true
to lock tight your oaken door
and slide fast that iron bolt
against the night.
Ignore not my words
to stoke the hearth fire high
and croon your children a lullaby
to drown their song.
In the half-light they come…
They come on pale moonbeams,
They come on the howling wind,
those wisps, those Sidhe,
those dark of heart.
Hear my warning, I cry
To mortals everywhere,
In the half-light they will come…
© All Rights Reserved A. F. Stewart
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wow, think I’d like to dance with the little Irish fairies from the hills…well written, almost epic poem, AF…inspiring
Thanks, Richard, pleased you enjoyed reading.
Beautifully written, you can dance to the rhythm of the lines, a slow floating-like dance, just as one would imagine fairies to move. I really enjoyed reading the story.
Thanks. It was a tough one to write, as it was originally for a Goodreads contest and the poem had to have an approx. 500 word count. I don’t often pen poems that long.
Well, it was worth the effort. My longest was a chant royal for Susan’s prompt. Very hard to write. It’s now in my book.
I did a chant royal for Susan too; it’s coming up later this week.