Home   Home

Lithyngale

by Mae D Morey

With gentle hands he unwrapped her
from the tooled leather casing
that sheltered the golden oak of her form.

"-s beautiful" he murmered
stroking the glowing lute.
"She's the most beautiful instrument
that I've ever laid eyes on."

"Aye, that she be, that she be"
her crafter murmered
"she has a voice like honey too
pure as dawn and twice as sweet.
Carved her me-self, the lovely
from a dryad's oak - so the woodsmith claimed she came.
tis sad the story of m'lady lute.
the dryad be trapped in that golden cage
and she sings perhaps, when you play 'er"

And the man with silver eyes
and blue black hair
traced each grain line
with a lover's care-
took up the lady Lithingale
and tuned her til she sang.
Tears sprang to his eyes
as he slowly played
a loverly duet,
and with him the spirit
proud and sure sang
and both crafter and player openly wept.
when the song ended
the man held the lute tight
and not a chance would he set her aside
her voice still ringing
filling the air
"my dear one, its about time."

and he laughed as she broke up the mood then
and with loving care cased her once more
"I must have her, craftman. No haggling."

and the crafter, with a smile
"a gift to you then, for clear as starshine
she'll have no other now, Lithingale is yours."

***
and so together my Bard and I sang
for ages we wandered and played
and then, though it saddens me in a way
the music for a time faded away
and through the gate once more I went
and stood for a time between stones
a Lute no longer,
but filled with the Notes
I journeyed onward once more.
I was Lithyngale
I still hear the music

12/03/2002

Author's Note: something old, revised and returned to the light

Posted on 10/06/2008
Copyright © 2024 Mae D Morey

Member Comments on this Poem
Posted by Steve Michaels on 12/22/13 at 02:29 AM

Congrats on POTD and what an exciting and engrossing read! I want to hear more about the lute!

Return to the Previous Page
 

pathetic.org Version 7.3.2 May 2004 Terms and Conditions of Use 0 member(s) and 2 visitor(s) online
All works Copyright © 2024 their respective authors. Page Generated In 0 Second(s)