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| T'was on a starry night of old... | |
| By employee2-4601 | ||||||||||||
| 13 April 2005 | ||||||||||||
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I wrote this after watching a version of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Raven" performed by The Simpsons (groans all round.) I like the gothic genre and thought I'd have a go myself. I also like wolves, so you'll see references to wolves in quite a few of my pieces of work. Twas on a starry night of old, When the wind blew ever cold;I sat beside my merry blaze, The glow playing across my face. I sat beside my merry blaze, I sat beside my merry blaze,The glow playing across my face.Outside all was restive and angry; The trees bending under a stormy fury. Outside all was restive and angry; Outside all was restive and angry;The trees bending under a stormy fury.Amidst the raging tempest foul, I could discern the distant howl Of Wolf out on the hills in the dead of night, Of Wolf out on the hills in the dead of night,When moon shown full and bright.I sat in my chair shivering and shaking, The icy howls set my nerves to quaking. I sat in my chair shivering and shaking, I sat in my chair shivering and shaking,The icy howls set my nerves to quaking.Pulling the curtains firmly closed, I returned to my chair and presently dozed; Pulling the curtains firmly closed, Pulling the curtains firmly closed,I returned to my chair and presently dozed;Dreaming of nought but that beast without, Dreaming of nought but that beast without,I woke suddenly giving a might shout.For there before me stood a demonic form, His claws, by the fire, coloured like the dawn. We locked stares, he and I; We locked stares, he and I;The one terrible, the other well nighTerror's cold embraces when I saw, Terror's cold embraces when I saw,The beast had passed through my bolted door.Without sound he moved behind my chair Without sound he moved behind my chairAnd I was loath to turn and stareAt the hunter whose eyes Had so coldly beheld mine. With much effort I turned round to see With much effort I turned round to seeThe room empty but for me.What apparition had visited me in the dead of night, To so suddenly vanish from my sight? What creature could come through locked portal, To instil such terrible fear in a mere mortalSuch as I and leave without snarl or growl? Such as I and leave without snarl or growl?But as I pondered I heard his howlOut on the cold hilltops far, far away; Such a sound I shall remember all my days. Such a sound I shall remember all my days.
The next night he returned at the same hour; His steely gaze holding some unworldly power His steely gaze holding some unworldly powerOver me that I should always need to knowWherever my strange companion should go. There was much I would have asked had I not Been cowed; yet neither question nor thought Entered my mind ‘til after he had departed. That final night I was suddenly started From my sleep by the first sound the wolf made. Yet seeing him I felt nothing but loathing and hate. From his great grey throat there came a deep growl, As if to say ‘I am here whilst you sleep in your cowl.' As if he knew my every thought, the wolf sat still, Watching me, his eyes taking in their fill. ‘To what purpose are you here each night When the moon is shining full and bright?' For my outburst I was given nought, And deep inside I barely fought With the urge to turn and flee, Placing the door twixt him and me. Placing the door twixt him and me.As I moved to stand, he rose too,Watching me through and through. Watching me through and through.By the fire stood a poker of steel,And from its blows the wolf did reel. And from its blows the wolf did reel.None marked his silver fur,But outside I could hear, But outside I could hear,The peel of a bell at each strike;I saw in the dim firelight, My weapon bent and twisted By the blows it had visited By the blows it had visitedOn the wolf now vanished,
His fur never tarnished. Since then each starry night, When the moon is full and bright, I heard his howls on the distant slopes Each cry deadening my hopes. Each cry deadening my hopes.I prayed that he would leave me be,But not one night's rest did he grant me. And still I see his silver form, When the winter nights are long.
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