Andaren
3rd May 2006, 09:54 AM
Ocean waves break on the sand
Clashing elements, water to land
Foam upon the golden shore
With seaweed, crabs and rocks and more
Upon the foamy crests with zeal
Come the bright-eyed playful seals
To hit the beach and there with pride
They raise their heads and remove their hides
Till silky skin to sand is shed
And maidens roam the beach instead
And laugh and frolic, sing and play
Merrily dancing the night away
Selkie men are rising too
And fill the beach with voices true
Eerie notes, so sweet and clear
Soothe the silence; displace all fear
They sing of the ocean deeps with pride
Of cool summer waves and wild winter tide
Of perilous rocks by water concealed
Of the beauty and bounty the oceans could yield
They sing of happiness, wild and free
Of bright water blessings and serenity
Until the song of first bird comes clear to the air
And sunlight’s caress comes quick to them there
Swiftly they turn, for it’s written in lore
That if a human should find a sealskin on shore
Then the Selkie who owned it would be theirs to claim
Forbidden the sea, on land to remain
And though they’d be faithful, their hearts would be closed
Against life on land forever opposed
Forced into marriage, from their home torn apart
Owned in the flesh, but never in heart
They’d be stricken with fever, a need to return
To the bright clear water for which they always shall yearn
But for those without sealskins, the danger was grave
Should they abandon their partners and leap to the waves
For though life is bitter and the sea’s call is strong
Without sealskin they’re mortal, they won’t live for long
And the tumultuous oceans, in anger and strife
Will no longer sustain them, but instead take their life
An ironic ending, of dangerous renown
Those who would seek the ocean would drown
So each Selkie goes at mornings first light
Gathers their skin, puts it on and takes flight
Back to the waves and the roiling white foam
To the startling blue depths of their maritime home
And the beach where they danced is left without sound
And no trace of the Selkies there can be found
Beltane Eve arrived and brought sweet delight
And the Selkies who gathered to dance on that night
Revelled in the beauty of the moon up above
Who pulled at the tides and shone upon them in love
And the sound of their music reverberated round
Spinning melodies that wove bright magic from sound
And one maiden dancing flicked back her tresses
Dark, fine and smooth and inviting caresses
Lovely her figure, like coral her skin
So bright an enchantment, holding great spirit within
She could melt any heart with one flash of her smile
Endear any creature, any human beguile
The loveliest creature that e’er claimed the tides
With deep mystery held in the depths of her eyes
And as her dainty bare feet danced to the tune
Of sweet Selkie melodies beneath the light of the moon
It seemed the winds stirred, as if Earth held her breath
As the Maiden twirled round, graceful and deft
Slim arms held above her, in sweet adoration
To the Mother Who blessed her and gave her Creation
Clear was her voice as it rose to the heights:
“Sweet Mother I give You my love on this night
For as sure as You pull on the tides of the sea
Your light reaches down and pulls upon me!"
Then with cruel abruptness the magic was broken
A twig snapped on the air and the warning was spoken
The Selkies abandoned their festival rites
Rushed for their skins, put them on and took flight
But the maiden, bewildered, caught in the crush
Found that her skin had been misplaced in the rush
With lump in her throat, she sought high and low
For without it, to ocean she could never again go
Tears filled her eyes as she saw with dismay
The man with the skin who was walking her way
She fell to her knees and let out a cry:
“So many are taken, now so too must I!”
The man came up beside her, dropped to the sand
And gently he lifted her chin with his hand
He saw her dark eyes and caught his breath
Captured and held by their mysterious depths
He was caught by her sadness, by her beauty beguiled
So lovely was she, he could not help a smile
With a moment’s regret he let go of her chin
And placed in her hands the soft Selkie skin
“Forgive my intrusion, is this what you seek?”
She merely looked on, too dumfounded to speak
“Go on,” he said gently, “Return to the tides
The sealskin is yours; I won’t claim its prize.”
The maiden looked on, too stunned to speak
When gently his hand brushed past her cheek
She felt something within, like her life torn apart
A curious sensation that tugged at her heart
She gasped and stiffened– this feeling was new
And she could see in his eyes that he felt it too
But it ended quickly; abruptly she stood
And ran for the surf as fast as she could
The man stood and watched as the smooth skin concealed
And the maiden transformed swiftly to seal
He raised a hand to wave, then dropped it and sighed
“She is Selkie, she always shall long for the tides
What right have I to claim her, to take her away
From the live she obviously revels in each day?
What right to deny her the life of the sea
And what right to believe she would ever love me?”
He slumped down his shoulders and turned from the scene
Heard the voice, but dismissed it as only a dream
He heard it again, turned but dared no expectation
And he watched her approach with great jubilation
“Thank you,” she whispered when she reached his side
And he felt his heart flutter, a strange feeling inside
“Thank you, good sir, for not making the claim
Selkie am I, and Muireann my name.”
“Rónan am I,” he replied with a smile
That lit his blue eyes and the Maiden beguiled
Reached up, pulled him down and brushed her lips against his
And they were lost to the sensation, enveloped in bliss
A lifetime too soon the pair pulled asunder
As though caught in a spell, they stared in great wonder
At the one they both cherished, their bright counterpart
The one to whom already they had surrendered their hearts
The sun broke the horizon, shed sweet light around
And somewhere a bird made a tentative sound
The wind stirred their hair, waves brushed at their feet
Neither had known a morning so sweet
Rónan smiled and turned and held out his hand
And gently he led the maid through the sand
Away from the coast and into the town
Where surprised they found each face held a frown
“What treachery is this!” they cried, “Nature betrayed!
A man cannot love a Selkie maid!”
The maiden stood stunned amidst the screaming and crying
And screamed when the rocks and stones started flying
Rónan’s heart plummeted, her hand had slipped free
And she was running with haste back down to the sea
“Muireann!” he yelled, “By Goddess, please wait!”
And he turned and he ran full speed in her wake.
The sun shone upon her, a false shining light
Tears cascaded, blurring her sight
Her dainty feet pounded over stone and through sand
And she knew in her heart they’d not understand
No Selkie beneath sea or human above
Would bless their union or condone their love
Selkies were taken, but they never went freely
They’d not let it happen, though she wanted it dearly
And his people had reacted with hostile rage
There was no cause to think that that would yet change
She reached the vast ocean, leapt in to embrace
The waves as tears flooded her lovely bright face
The seaweed fronds parted and beneath them revealed
The soft Selkie skin beneath them concealed
The Maid hesitated, still holding her breath
Though to wear it meant life, she was longing for death
Rónan came to the beach and in denial he cried
To see his love leap to embrace the cruel tide
He felt his heart plummet, for he knew that before
She had not held her skin when she ran for the shore.
With tears in his eyes, he reached for his sword
Life wasn’t worth living, death would have its word.
He felt the blade bite, welcomed the pain
And he fell, his bright blood the soft sand to stain
Yet the Mother was smiling, still had something to give
The townspeople found him – he was wounded, yet lived
The bore him back home, in through tavern’s door
And up to a chamber where sometime before
He had slept without knowledge of the love he would know
When for a night stroll he elected to go
They laid him on the bed, dressed the wound but still
He did not recover, had lost all will
The townspeople prayed and never stopped trying
But it soon came apparent that the young man was dying
The barkeep was angry and burdened great shame
On the people as the young man murmered the name
Of the woman he loved, who from their animosity
Had taken her own life by means of the sea
“By your hand you do this,” he said with a frown
“You’ve broken their hearts, brought dreams crashing down
There’s no justice to it, the fault is all yours,
We may yet loose him too in due course
And what for, I ask you, is it a crime
To love and be loved, for young hearts to shine?
I hope you are happy with the grief you have wrought
You left a maiden to die and a young man distraught!
Best hope that some miracle might come our way
By Goddess implore, that he may yet stay!”
Clashing elements, water to land
Foam upon the golden shore
With seaweed, crabs and rocks and more
Upon the foamy crests with zeal
Come the bright-eyed playful seals
To hit the beach and there with pride
They raise their heads and remove their hides
Till silky skin to sand is shed
And maidens roam the beach instead
And laugh and frolic, sing and play
Merrily dancing the night away
Selkie men are rising too
And fill the beach with voices true
Eerie notes, so sweet and clear
Soothe the silence; displace all fear
They sing of the ocean deeps with pride
Of cool summer waves and wild winter tide
Of perilous rocks by water concealed
Of the beauty and bounty the oceans could yield
They sing of happiness, wild and free
Of bright water blessings and serenity
Until the song of first bird comes clear to the air
And sunlight’s caress comes quick to them there
Swiftly they turn, for it’s written in lore
That if a human should find a sealskin on shore
Then the Selkie who owned it would be theirs to claim
Forbidden the sea, on land to remain
And though they’d be faithful, their hearts would be closed
Against life on land forever opposed
Forced into marriage, from their home torn apart
Owned in the flesh, but never in heart
They’d be stricken with fever, a need to return
To the bright clear water for which they always shall yearn
But for those without sealskins, the danger was grave
Should they abandon their partners and leap to the waves
For though life is bitter and the sea’s call is strong
Without sealskin they’re mortal, they won’t live for long
And the tumultuous oceans, in anger and strife
Will no longer sustain them, but instead take their life
An ironic ending, of dangerous renown
Those who would seek the ocean would drown
So each Selkie goes at mornings first light
Gathers their skin, puts it on and takes flight
Back to the waves and the roiling white foam
To the startling blue depths of their maritime home
And the beach where they danced is left without sound
And no trace of the Selkies there can be found
Beltane Eve arrived and brought sweet delight
And the Selkies who gathered to dance on that night
Revelled in the beauty of the moon up above
Who pulled at the tides and shone upon them in love
And the sound of their music reverberated round
Spinning melodies that wove bright magic from sound
And one maiden dancing flicked back her tresses
Dark, fine and smooth and inviting caresses
Lovely her figure, like coral her skin
So bright an enchantment, holding great spirit within
She could melt any heart with one flash of her smile
Endear any creature, any human beguile
The loveliest creature that e’er claimed the tides
With deep mystery held in the depths of her eyes
And as her dainty bare feet danced to the tune
Of sweet Selkie melodies beneath the light of the moon
It seemed the winds stirred, as if Earth held her breath
As the Maiden twirled round, graceful and deft
Slim arms held above her, in sweet adoration
To the Mother Who blessed her and gave her Creation
Clear was her voice as it rose to the heights:
“Sweet Mother I give You my love on this night
For as sure as You pull on the tides of the sea
Your light reaches down and pulls upon me!"
Then with cruel abruptness the magic was broken
A twig snapped on the air and the warning was spoken
The Selkies abandoned their festival rites
Rushed for their skins, put them on and took flight
But the maiden, bewildered, caught in the crush
Found that her skin had been misplaced in the rush
With lump in her throat, she sought high and low
For without it, to ocean she could never again go
Tears filled her eyes as she saw with dismay
The man with the skin who was walking her way
She fell to her knees and let out a cry:
“So many are taken, now so too must I!”
The man came up beside her, dropped to the sand
And gently he lifted her chin with his hand
He saw her dark eyes and caught his breath
Captured and held by their mysterious depths
He was caught by her sadness, by her beauty beguiled
So lovely was she, he could not help a smile
With a moment’s regret he let go of her chin
And placed in her hands the soft Selkie skin
“Forgive my intrusion, is this what you seek?”
She merely looked on, too dumfounded to speak
“Go on,” he said gently, “Return to the tides
The sealskin is yours; I won’t claim its prize.”
The maiden looked on, too stunned to speak
When gently his hand brushed past her cheek
She felt something within, like her life torn apart
A curious sensation that tugged at her heart
She gasped and stiffened– this feeling was new
And she could see in his eyes that he felt it too
But it ended quickly; abruptly she stood
And ran for the surf as fast as she could
The man stood and watched as the smooth skin concealed
And the maiden transformed swiftly to seal
He raised a hand to wave, then dropped it and sighed
“She is Selkie, she always shall long for the tides
What right have I to claim her, to take her away
From the live she obviously revels in each day?
What right to deny her the life of the sea
And what right to believe she would ever love me?”
He slumped down his shoulders and turned from the scene
Heard the voice, but dismissed it as only a dream
He heard it again, turned but dared no expectation
And he watched her approach with great jubilation
“Thank you,” she whispered when she reached his side
And he felt his heart flutter, a strange feeling inside
“Thank you, good sir, for not making the claim
Selkie am I, and Muireann my name.”
“Rónan am I,” he replied with a smile
That lit his blue eyes and the Maiden beguiled
Reached up, pulled him down and brushed her lips against his
And they were lost to the sensation, enveloped in bliss
A lifetime too soon the pair pulled asunder
As though caught in a spell, they stared in great wonder
At the one they both cherished, their bright counterpart
The one to whom already they had surrendered their hearts
The sun broke the horizon, shed sweet light around
And somewhere a bird made a tentative sound
The wind stirred their hair, waves brushed at their feet
Neither had known a morning so sweet
Rónan smiled and turned and held out his hand
And gently he led the maid through the sand
Away from the coast and into the town
Where surprised they found each face held a frown
“What treachery is this!” they cried, “Nature betrayed!
A man cannot love a Selkie maid!”
The maiden stood stunned amidst the screaming and crying
And screamed when the rocks and stones started flying
Rónan’s heart plummeted, her hand had slipped free
And she was running with haste back down to the sea
“Muireann!” he yelled, “By Goddess, please wait!”
And he turned and he ran full speed in her wake.
The sun shone upon her, a false shining light
Tears cascaded, blurring her sight
Her dainty feet pounded over stone and through sand
And she knew in her heart they’d not understand
No Selkie beneath sea or human above
Would bless their union or condone their love
Selkies were taken, but they never went freely
They’d not let it happen, though she wanted it dearly
And his people had reacted with hostile rage
There was no cause to think that that would yet change
She reached the vast ocean, leapt in to embrace
The waves as tears flooded her lovely bright face
The seaweed fronds parted and beneath them revealed
The soft Selkie skin beneath them concealed
The Maid hesitated, still holding her breath
Though to wear it meant life, she was longing for death
Rónan came to the beach and in denial he cried
To see his love leap to embrace the cruel tide
He felt his heart plummet, for he knew that before
She had not held her skin when she ran for the shore.
With tears in his eyes, he reached for his sword
Life wasn’t worth living, death would have its word.
He felt the blade bite, welcomed the pain
And he fell, his bright blood the soft sand to stain
Yet the Mother was smiling, still had something to give
The townspeople found him – he was wounded, yet lived
The bore him back home, in through tavern’s door
And up to a chamber where sometime before
He had slept without knowledge of the love he would know
When for a night stroll he elected to go
They laid him on the bed, dressed the wound but still
He did not recover, had lost all will
The townspeople prayed and never stopped trying
But it soon came apparent that the young man was dying
The barkeep was angry and burdened great shame
On the people as the young man murmered the name
Of the woman he loved, who from their animosity
Had taken her own life by means of the sea
“By your hand you do this,” he said with a frown
“You’ve broken their hearts, brought dreams crashing down
There’s no justice to it, the fault is all yours,
We may yet loose him too in due course
And what for, I ask you, is it a crime
To love and be loved, for young hearts to shine?
I hope you are happy with the grief you have wrought
You left a maiden to die and a young man distraught!
Best hope that some miracle might come our way
By Goddess implore, that he may yet stay!”