FAILLEAN

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FAILLEAN

She stares from cold battlements

Wind and salt spray her only friend,

Her lover afar, far from home

The banner snaps in agitation 

It's lord marched to war alone.

Hair as red as a dragons breath

Faillean feels so alone

Standing in her velvet gown,

Her maids in waiting back away

From their lady with darkened frown.

His kiss a distant memory

Though imprinted upon her heart,

Does he lie dead on a battlefield?

Forever their souls apart.

She placed her lips to 'widowmaker'

His sword to keep him safe,

His wolfhounds bay to the moon

She shivers, a queen no more....a waif.

All gleaming armour and plumes

Her warrior lover gone to fight,

A dread enemy of spear and axe

Of iron and muscled might.

The bards, they sing of glory

Scribes scratch heroic deeds on mottled parchment,

Faillean only sees her man afar

The crash of waves her lonely lament.

Her eyes strain toward the sea

As green as the depths set in skin of milky pale,

The song of death washes ashore

And she sees the feathery sail.

The longships beach in ungainly rush

Faillean with heart pounding runs toward the sand,

Men stand with banners low, broken shields all

Though they've tasted victory, she can't understand.

Then she sees her man, her warrior, her love

No man smiles, grim and grizzled tears fall from embattled cheek,

For he is slain, his blood still pulsing from wounds

Faillean cannot find words to speak.

Her lovers champion steps forward and bows low

'Widowmaker' lies in his hands, enemies blood enstained,

Legend will tell of his epic deeds

And the victory her warrior gained.

His men carry his broken body

To the Cairn for his funeral pyre,

Faillean dressed in her wedding gown

Then steps quietly into the fire.

They loved in life 

Now they love in death,

When the sea wind blows

It's a lovers breath.

Faillean still stands on the battlements

Looking out to sea,

But her warriors by her side

And forever he will be.

Phil Hall  December 2013