This is a song about my first RP wife, back in NWN on AOL in the early 90's.

Leavetaking

I remember it like yesterday, though many years ago
The pain within my heart, it bleeds now even so
I can see the shimmer in her eyes, though they have passed to dust
And feel the touch of her ivory skin, even now it calls my lust

I still shiver at her whispered breath, though time has past it by
And reach for her in restless sleep, when to my dreams I fly
I see her hair all halo'd round, my fingers admist it's length
In troubled times I feel her love, and in it find my strength

I feel her now and evermore
Our soul's aligned as one
Once love has past heart's door
It can never be undone

I recall when first our eyes did meet, one summer eve long past
I thought she a fair and comely lass, not a Love destined to last
Yet Destiny saw through simple things, and drew us together then
And now I crave her ever more, to remember where Love had been

Such is the Fate of Love so wrought, with Human and Elven hearts
As great as passion burns between, it is fated to all soon part
I felt her give her dying breath, in my arms that seemed still young
I'd have given all to join her then, my tears to the wind's i'd flung

I feel her now and evermore
Our soul's aligned as one
Once love has past heart's door
It can never be undone

Destiny calls us to its step, we follow each in our turn
It brings us smiles and tears alike, and it's wake we learn
The price of Love for one such as me, when wed to Human lass
Is to Love for but a moments time, and watch her then to pass

Such lessons I have learned indeed, and never will I again cross
Such rivers of tears as I have endured, and heart by cruelty tossed
The tears run once more even now, though centuries have between us passed
A burdened soul from ill fated Love, yet in my heart shall forever last

I feel her now and evermore
Our soul's aligned as one
Once love has past heart's door
It can never be undone


A song about Felucca, and the magic that was the Rebellion on Lake Superior. For those of you who were not there, the Rebellion was an incredible player ran scenario that caught up the magic of UO in a way I will never forget, and have never been able to replicate.

The Keg and Anchor

I was living in a foreign town, south on the Trinsic Coast down,
Waiting for adventure to come and find me.
A friendly place, a familiar face, some ale and a tiny trace
Of singing in the distance far behind me.

A copper across the counter then, a shy hello, a brand new friend
A walk along the street in the wintry weather
A yellow light, the Keg and Anchor, and a "Welcome friend, there's room for more."
And then we're standing there inside together.

I said, "I've heard that tune before somewhere but I can't remember when,
Was it on some other friendly shore, did I hear it on the wind?
Was it written on the sky above, I think I heard it from someone I love,
But I never heard a sound so sweet since then."

And now my feet begin to tap, a little boy says, "I'll take your hat."
I'm caught up in the magic of a smile.
Leap, the heart inside me went, and off across the floor I sent
My awkward body, graceful as a child.

I said, "There's magic in the singer's voice and there's magic in this town,
There's magic in the dancers' feet and the way they put them down.
People smiling everywhere, boots and ribbons, locks of hair
Laughter, merry talk and quest day gowns."

The crowd is gone with the war, the room is bare, the old lute is sitting there
Someone's hat's left hanging on the rack.
The empty chair, the wooden floor that feels the touch of shoes no more
Awaiting for the dancers to come back.

And the lute's in the closet of some warrior of the town,
The strings are broke, the pick is gone and the cover's buttoned down
But sometimes on pale winter nights, when the air is cold and the wind is right
There's a melody that passes through the town.


This is an Elven ritual celebrating the onset of Fall, and the passing of the seasons. I combined the seasonal context with the Samurai Empire EM events that were then a central focus.

Yavieba Ritual

Let us remember again
The womb where we began
And as night passes into day
Let us swear to Elven Way

Yes Sehanine commands us, all 'Quessir here this eve,
To uphold her silver visage, and to her honor leave
All pretense of our woes
So that she might then dispose,
And in it's abscence give
A heart of virtue to live

Come lovers of the Earth, let us stand up to her plea
To bring harmony into life, to be caretakers for all we see
Let us hold the banner high
That unites us to the sky
And offer service one more year
As fall awakens to winter's tear

Comes Elves and Human born, as we revel this holy eve,
Let us bind ourselves to truth, as we pierce the living weave,
And as darkness comes to Fall
Lets us head it's desperate call
And stand ready, sword and spell
To hold back the gates of hell

As Minax lays her charms, sets battle to lands we claim
Let us rally to her doom, and darkness lay low from fame
As she storms the gates of Glow
Or in Elven Glade does show
Let us scream a victory cry
Stand tall, to live or die

As the orcs did fall this night, so will all who try
To stand between the pure of heart, who'd rather fight and die
Then leave beneath the heel
Of a tyrant heart of steel
And so I bind my sword and soul
To cleanse the earth and make her whole

Sehanine commands us, we 'Quessir born and sired
To celebrate her night, and light her earthly fire
I call life to words long past
And the meanings meant to last
Let Elf and mortal man
Rise up to save this land.


This one was inspired by Ralph Vaughan Williams for "Just as the tide was flowing... though it obviously is about an Elven bard and a mysterious lover.

With the moon's fair light a showin'

One starry eve, in a summer past,
Down by some rolling river,
A footloose Bard, chance come to pass,
Where I beheld my lover,
By the riverbanks she did play,
Wreathing bouquets gay;
And sweetly sang her roundelay,
With the Moon's fair light a' showing.

Oh! her garments of azure velvet and silk,
Bright sapphire's did adorn her.
Her skin so smooth, and white as milk,
No churl would claim her honour.
Her eyes sky blue, her locks autumn brown,
Her hair in ringlets hanging down;
She'd a lovely brow, without a frown,
With the Moon's fair light a' showing.

I made a bow and said, Fair Arwen,
How came you here so late?
My heart, to wait for you its been,
A lonely quest I held dearly.
I am a Bard, but only for thee,
If you will accept of my company
To walk and view this starry way,
With the Moon's fair light a' showing.

No more we said, but passed on our way
Beneath the starrs together;
The Nightingale sang of love's strange play,
As we crossed fields of heather.
When we were weary we did sit down
Beneath a Mallorn with branches round;
For my true love at last I'd found,
With the Moon's fair light a' showing.

In her fair eyes, I saw my heart's desire,
And held her to my heart.
We vowed beneath the Moon's pale fire,
Never our hearts to part.
The starrs that eve did shine so bright,
As we laid together, under Moon's light.
Love shared throughtout the long night,
With the Moon's fair light a' showing.

When dawn did peek his weary head,
I awoke to my Love's side,
Yet alone I lay, in our flowery bed,
My heart, left with the tide.
I sang my tears to the burning sun,
For what magic that night had wrung
Had to my soul most bitter stung,
With the Moon's fair light not showing.


Warning: The next two pieces have a decidedly sensual theme. If you are distrubed by such, I would ask you not to continue.

I hope we all have had those moments of almost fairy tale romance that touched our hearts and lifted us to a better place. This is my memory of one of those moments, and I can only hope she *does* remember... and cherishes it as I do.

Do you still Remember?

Do you still remember when first our lips did touch?
The moonlight overhead,the garden all about us...
Tall hedgerows standing sentinel to our aching,
desperate union of lost souls.
The tender touch of unsure hands as our lips first found
joy within each other.

Do you still recall the long walk upon the beach?
The surf... pulsing in unison to the heartbeat
of that simple, shared, moment.
Our sandy bed under the moon's serene eye,
where love was first found?

Can you still taste the bitter-sweet taste of my sweat
as we joined that first evening?
The air kissing our skin as we rose to that perfect climax
under the heaven's watchful gaze.

Do strawberries still remind you of that night...
so long ago....
when we fed, drank, and loved in spite of all.
When we reveled in the simple joy of two kindred spirits
united in their simple bliss...
and lived for the love that blossomed from it.

Do you still remember, as I do even now?
Do your dreams still tarry fondly on that moonlit quest?
Do you still remember?


And last, a far less structured piece that was inspired by the raw, sensual, brilliant poetry of Pablo Neruda. My ode to need, to desire, and to the completion a part of us all crave.

For Her

I have tasted
the fruits of love,
and though each bite
filled my soul
with the nectar of hope,
each soured to ashes
as I swallowed.

I see winter and ashes,
the snowy white blanket
that follows the fall
of my hurt...
my heart.
It covers the past
in a mantle of time,
yet it simply lies
buried,
waiting for spring's
indiscriminate caress
to leap back into sight.

I wonder
When will I find
the tropics of
my heart-dream,
where love will flower
eternal
in the orchard-soul
of my yearnings?

I crave the sweet citrus scent,
its aroma tickling my nose
even now...
like a lover's dream
that fades
with the rooster's crow.

I yearn to feel her
sweet lips,
my tongue atop the soul-pulp
of her being.

I want to lick
the sickly-sweet juices
of our passion
as they slide along her face.

I need to feel her hands
on me,
hungered-sick
as we both are
for each other.

I know this and more,
all too well,
I simply do not know
if there is a cure.

I till my heart-fields
with hope.

I water them
with my dream-tears.

I wait,
praying for the always-summer gift
that will give my toils
purpose.

I pray,
for her.


I hope you found some enjoyment in these tidbits, they certainly brought joy to me.

Very good work, Tal!!! *claps*

Several of these ring a bell though.. didn't you post a few of these on the old Origin forums. If so, I'll bet Se'an would remember them as well. Just curious, cause I know I've read them before, but it was a quite a while ago.

I don't think I posted any of *these* on the Origin forums, though perhaps the Keg & Anchor was. You might have heard some of them in my wanderings... I tend to hop from shard to shard performing, as a Bard should (IMO), so it could have been anywhere. I've sung at player towns and events on just about every shard, not including the Asians.

*snaps fingers* that's it! I've attended several such "performances" on Pacific many calendars ago! Man you're shaking up all kinds of old memories for me today!

I have performed at the Elven Order festivals a number of times, in Eldamar. They are, after all, my Elven Kin. *chuckles*

Haven't heard from you on IM or seen you on the boards lately, Tal.
Hope you and family are ok!
Big cookie hugs ....