Shadows of Myth and Legend Read online

  Barghest and Mauthe

  Harbingers of Death

  Come to warn this old soul

  Of its inevitable last breath

  When lightning struck the churchyard

  During last night’s storm

  Red glowing eyes looked out at me

  From within a great black hulking form

  Your bark became the thunder

  Then you were gone into the night

  Choosing to heed your warning

  I begged the priest for last rites

  Today I hear your howling

  Echo across the moor

  And know I have come at last

  To the threshold of death’s door

  It’s time to lay these bones

  Deep within the ground

  For I have heard, not once but twice,

  The baying of the hound.

  To See a Fetch

  See a Fetch in the morning

  Offer it a cup of tea

  Live a long life

  Of wealth and prosperity

  See a Fetch at midday

  Walk in a crooked line

  Don’t catch his eye

  Or on your soft flesh he’ll dine

  See a fetch in the dark night

  Hold your friends and loved ones dear

  Say your goodbyes

  You’ll be dead within the year.

  Gargoyle Sentry

  Faithful gargoyle servant

  You ever guard us well

  Perched on our cathedral

  Beside the tower bell

  Dear immortal sentry

  Forced to watch forever

  Always on full alert

  Vigilant as ever

  Beneath fearful visage

  Lay loyal heart of stone

  Left your solemn duty

  Eternity all alone.

  Siren Song

  Your lungs like a bellows

  Filled with the breath of the dead

  A multitude of feathers

  Dancing around your head

  Beautiful bird woman

  High on your island of death

  Where you await male sailors

  Who bear life-giving breath

  Luring virile sailors

  Shipwreck on your rocky shore

  Enchanting men with music

  They can never ignore

  Sweep down with your sisters

  Amidst quickly sinking ships

  Seeking out the ideal mate

  To kiss upon the lips

  Drawing in his last breath

  Push him under the water

  Happy knowing in nine months

  You shall bear his daughter

  Sun slides below the waves

  Day returns to blackest night

  The final piece of wreckage

  Sinks swiftly out of sight

  From atop your aerie

  You and your sisters take wing

  Moonlight catches ship and sail

  You rise once more to sing.

  The Reaper

  Demons pass outside your window

  They call for you

  Your hand reaching out to cold glass

  Lips have turned blue

  Demons dance, leap, twist and gyrate

  They never tire

  Your hair hangs wet with fever sweat

  Eyes lit with fire

  Hell’s minions gesture and beckon

  For your embrace

  Trying to stand up, all color

  Drains from your face

  Promises whispered on the wind

  Life without pain

  You try to walk to the window

  Collapse in vain

  Your sobs echo around the room

  These prison walls

  Demons rally you to get up

  With hoots and calls

  Demons are tiring of this game

  Trace a blood star

  You reach out for the window ledge

  But it’s too far

  With chanting and a lightning flash

  Demons have left you

  All of your hope has gone with them

  Wish has come true

  Angels now hover over you

  To guide your soul

  You head for the gates of Heaven

  To play your role

  You who have known torment will know

  Only rapture

  Returning to earth with purpose

  Souls to capture

  At all their bedsides you offer

  Blessed release

  You take their souls up to Heaven

  When their heart’s cease

  Scythe in hand you do your duty

  Take their last breath

  With a heart full of righteous fury

  Angel of Death.

  Warding Charm

  Fae folk in the glen

  Fae folk by the sea

  Fae folk in the sky

  Smiling down at me

  Magic in the grass

  Magic in the trees

  Laughter of the Fae

  Carried on the breeze

  Stars shine in the night

  Sun shines in the day

  Nothing shines as bright

  As the lovely Fae.

  Possession

  Returning to me once more

  Was your dying obsession

  When your ghost was strong enough

  To attempt possession

  You traveled the spirit realm

  Seeking the incantation

  Finally making a deal

  The price your soul’s damnation

  Yet the demon taught you well

  You were right there next to me

  But looking into your eyes

  Your soul was a raging sea

  Your spirit fought for control

  Warred with your reluctant host

  Struggling to stay corporeal

  Terrified to be a ghost

  To stay with me you will risk

  More than your immortal soul

  Giving the coins from your eyes

  None left for the boatman’s toll

  With all your deals and bargains

  What no demon would reveal

  Was their cruelest intention

  Our future they chose to steal

  With no way to cross over

  Your soul stranded on the shore

  When I breathe my final breath

  You will be alone once more.

  Woman in White

  Traveling along the roadside

  On this wet fog laden night

  I catch a brief glimpse up ahead

  Of a lone woman in white

  Wondering if I can offer

  Assistance to this lady fair

  I dismount and call out to her

  But she only turns to stare

  What foul thing could have befallen

  This damsel to strike her mute?

  Perhaps then she is no fair lady

  But a dame of ill repute

  I shall take her with me

  I’ll keep her warm in my bed

  A reward for taking her in

  From this road few others tread

  Her presence could complicate things

  As my wedding night draws near

  So long as my wife’s family

  Remain blind there’s naught to fear

  A plan already taking form

  I reach out to take her arm

  But as the clouds move past the moon

  Light shines on a wedding charm

  Not a harlot then just a bride

  Now obvious by her dress

  Glowing white beneath the full moon

  So lovely but in distress

  Trying again to be helpful

  I reach out to take her hand

  Only then do I see the blood

  Dripping onto rock and sand

  In her right hand she held a knife

  Her left clutched her husband�
��s heart

  Her husband had been unfaithful

  Tearing her world and mind apart

  She looked with frenzied hatred on

  A lecherous wretch like me

  Quickly slashed head from body

  Tossing the head into the sea

  So hear me all unfaithful men

  Attend these words of the dead

  Beware of the Woman in White

  Or you too may lose your head.

  Fire & War

  The Phoenix Cycle

  The beautifully plumed Phoenix

  Sits upon her aromatic pyre

  Beating jewel encrusted wings

  To fan flames of purifying fire

  As the flames engulf her

  She shrieks out a last ecstatic breath

  The heat makes her body appear to waver

  In this macabre dance of death

  Flames burn down to nothing

  Red hot embers cool to grey

  Night’s darkness fades as dawn’s light rises

  To mark the beginning of a new day

  From the ashes she emerges

  At first just the appearance of her beak

  Shakily rising upward

  For as a newborn she is weak

  The Phoenix continues pushing forward

  Forces open an ash covered eye

  Spreads her wings and with a shriek

  Launches herself into the sky

  As the sun reaches its zenith

  The Phoenix gains size and power

  But as the shadows lengthen

  She must return to her bower

  She gathers dry bracken, leaves and twigs

  And builds herself a nest

  Wondering if this time she will be permitted

  The release of final rest.

  Fafnir the Wyrm

  Greedy Fafnir and Regin

  Murdered their loving father

  To lay hands upon his gold

  Brother set upon brother

  Fafnir driving out Regin

  Before father had grown cold

  Holding tight to his gold pot

  Fafnir lay on bloody stones

  Face pressed to dirt, grime and mold

  He stayed there in the cellar

  Beneath his father’s castle

  Shivering in the damp cold

  Coiled around the treasure hoard

  Fafnir became a dragon

  Better to protect and hold

  The treasure he coveted

  For his greedy eyes alone

  From all men wished to withhold

  Meanwhile Regin’s jealousy

  Compelled him to send his son

  Sigurd to Fafnir’s stronghold

  Sigurd wielded the sword Gram

  Killing the dragon Fafnir

  With a stroke skillful and bold

  Cutting out the dragon’s heart

  And drinking of its warm blood

  Induced the truth to unfold

  Sigurd became aware of

  His father’s murderous deceit

  To kill his son for the gold

  Sigurd returned to his home

  Slay his father and carried

  Curse and gold across threshold.

  Vampire Court

  Ah! The sweet blood of innocents

  Always such a lovely vintage

  Draining pure young struggling virgins

  Conjures a delightful image

  My deepest heartfelt gratitude

  To our gracious immortal host

  For bringing us all together

  I would like to offer a toast

  To all the long-lived lords and kings

  Who linger buried in the dark

  Ruling from within the shadows

  Each of us prowling like a shark

  We will be waiting for the scent

  For the peasants to draw first blood

  Then we shall strike with combined force

  An unstoppable killing flood

  We will fill the world with monsters

  Brother denizens of the night

  Vampires will rule over humans

  With pain and paralyzing fright.

  Basilisk

  King of reptiles and serpents

  Murdering all you touch and see

  All things burn in your presence

  Every flower, bush and tree

  Slithering along the ground

  Your gaze turns man and beast to stone

  Your breath and blood are poison

  Turning all men to flesh and bone.

  Goblin King

  On the horizon marched the horde

  Of the Goblin King

  Claws smash weapons to shields

  Battle drums beating

  Our general went to meet their king

  On the battlefield

  The Goblin King gave

  Terms or sword he’d wield

  Now if there is but one among you

  Not tainted by sin

  I will let you all go free

  The humans will win

  The general agreed to the terms

  To avoid slaughter

  Goblins and Orcs roared

  Filling the air with laughter

  Not one among you is free of sin

  The Goblin King cheered

  Turning to face the humans

  His whole army leered

  From the direction of the wagons

  Came a wailing cry

  A woman with newborn babe

  Held up to the sky

  My child knows nothing of sin

  Cried out the woman

  Turning the tide of the battle from

  Goblin to human

  The Goblin King howled and broke his spear

  Men! We are not done

  You have won this skirmish but

  This war is not won

  Foul humans I pledge to all your kind

  On my broken spear

  We will return some day soon

  And you shall know fear

  The humans turned to the newborn babe

  Bowing on one knee

  All swore fealty to the man

  Who would set them free.

  Curse of the Seer

  From among the mad

  A babe was born

  A maiden she shall sing

  But this great joy was

  Not meant to last

  Black tidings she will bring

  For when this dear child

  Learns to See and

  Grows to become a lass

  To help aid her friends

  She’ll scry to see

  Evil in the looking glass

  In the end she’ll look

  To see the face

  Behind the burial shroud

  Wretched oracle

  What she sees there

  Will make her scream aloud

  Looking far beyond

  She’ll try to learn

  The face of the enemy

  Seeing past the veil

  Finding the truth

  By her death will they be free

  It was not her fault

  But destiny

  Her role already foretold

  Her friends all vowed then

  With heavy hearts

  Never to let her grow old

  The Dullahan

  Dullahan is coming

  You cannot bar his passage

  Locks fall ‘way, gates fly open

  At one look from his hideous visage

  Fiery hooves striking stone

  Cannot flee, nowhere to hide

  From the dark cloaked Dullahan

  No place his great black horse cannot ride

  He holds his head aloft

  His neck a bloody wreckage

  Darting wide eyes seek you out

  To bring his final fateful message

  The Dullahan performs

  His task with fervor and pride

  So do not disturb his wo
rk