Something from my Dad

[Sabertooth Kitten]

A bit of doggerel that should fit in here.

Out of the evening mist he strode
Shaking the blood from his blade.
None of us there had seen him before
Gods what a sight he made.

There are those that do love him,
And those who do hate him,
And others who do think him quite mad.
Oh Gods if he only was mad.

He told us of dragons
and goblins and trolls
He spoke of vast treasures
And the forgotten heroes of old.

He drank the ales we bought him
And his food we likewise paid.
The tales he spun us were payment enough
But Gods the price that we paid.

Never before had adventure
Come walking through the tavern door.
Now dreams filled our heads
We suddenly wanted more.

Out there somewhere lie diamonds
And gold and silver and more.
Guarded by Ghosts and demons
Somewhere beyond our door.

Our lives are now filled with mystery
And many have followed its lure.
Brave lads and lasses gone wandering
Upon some fabled shore.

I myself have felt the pull
The desire to travel far.
The distant call of battle
And I'll stay here no more.

Visions came to me that night
Oh so long ago.
The spirits that now haunt me
Can pass to you instead.

The magic realm I wandered
Came with me in a way
My sword and shield I won there
But Gods, the cost that I pay.

This was once my home
But I can not stay
I hear my name on the wind
Calling me back 'til another day.

The bard I saw those years ago
Who filled my head with dreams
Sleeps now amid the Faerie Folk
And I must seek him there

His face I cannot recall
Yet his voice still echoes clear.
Another quest beckons me
So far and yet so near.

So I will face the dragons
The goblins and the ghosts.
The Demons I shall vanquish
With the help of someone here.

Who will join my hardy band?
Who will show no fear?
Who will find the treasures?
And who will buy us beer?


The years have passed
So swift it seems
'twas all so long ago
And tomorrow, again I go.

'twas laughter and tears my friend.
The joys and sorrows there.
Friends and lovers won and lost
And Gods, I paid the cost.

Of treasures I have plenty
And a castle of my own.
But nowhere can I lay my head,
Forever do I roam.

Was it worth it?
For me the answer's aye.
For you it may be different
You won't know until you try.

I see it now and now I know
That bard I saw that night was another me.
And I can see in your eyes that soon you'll be
Seeking glory beyond that fabled sea

I feel the gate opening now
Just beyond that door.
My drinking's done, and so is yours
We sally forth once more.

[Evandril]

VERY nice, thank you! Your Dad is a talented writer, need to find more of his work :)

[Ruestir]

Seconded! That was nice.

[Silverharp]

I like it...I'm going to have to find some music to put to it

[Sabertooth Kitten]

I like it...I'm going to have to find some music to put to it

That would be very cool!
Mom used to play her lap harp when he recited it at uncle Brett's games.
It's been too long since I've heard it aloud.
Dad hasn't spoken it since Mom died

[freiman]

Dang,

SilverHarp got here first.

If he decides he doesn't want it, I do some composition too.

It's good work, but for real camp fire singability, I might suggest a two line chorus that is easy for the audience to sing along with.

f

[Sabertooth Kitten]

Here's something else of Dad's
It's a little darker than the first and needs polishing, but I think a few here might understand the what he was trying to convey.

The sun shone down upon the field of war
And one man alive and wounded sore.
His eyes still saw clearly the fallen body of his captain
The battle standard trampled and sodden with gore.
His brothers had died beside him
Though he could not remember when.
He cast his thoughts back to his home
And the girl who waited there.
His shield he dropped, likewise his sword
And he strode from the corpse-strewn hill
There was no need to stay.
For many a day he journeyed
One vision left to guide him
The girl left behind ever smiling in his mind.
Would she still be there?
Then one day he reached his home
And stood silent before his door.
He listened then to the sounds from within,
Her laughter rang bright and gay.
He lifted a hand as if to knock
Then he turned and walked away.
Somewhere wars are raging
Somewhere the wild harps sound.
There you will find that soldier still
His true home he has found.

[Evandril]

Dang,

SilverHarp got here first.

If he decides he doesn't want it, I do some composition too.

It's good work, but for real camp fire singability, I might suggest a two line chorus that is easy for the audience to sing along with.

f

Guessing you might not have noticed it, but if it was something he used to sing along with his Wife...Do *NOT* see him changing it, nor would I want him to. *shrugs*

[Evandril]

Aye, 'tis a good one...and can understand enough to hope it wasn't from personal experience.

Thank you again :)

[RazorJAK]

...

The second one had me shivering, in tears and wishing I had more rum in the house.

[freiman]

Guessing you might not have noticed it, but if it was something he used to sing along with his Wife...Do *NOT* see him changing it, nor would I want him to. *shrugs*

I somehow completely missed that.

Yeah, I don't imagine that he would want to change that under any circumstances.

Luckily, feeling really stupid is nothing new for me.

f

[Sabertooth Kitten]

I somehow completely missed that.

Yeah, I don't imagine that he would want to change that under any circumstances.

Luckily, feeling really stupid is nothing new for me.

f

Actually when I mentioned it to him via email today he said that it sounded like a good idea.
He thinks that having lots of people singing the song would be the best tribute to Mom possible.
I think so too.

[Silverharp]

Aye, 'tis a good one...and can understand enough to hope it wasn't from personal experience.

Thank you again :)
I was going to put word out among friends, if you can compose (I've got a bit of a tin ear in that direction) go for it!

[Landsknecht]

Actually when I mentioned it to him via email today he said that it sounded like a good idea.
He thinks that having lots of people singing the song would be the best tribute to Mom possible.
I think so too.

It is a good thing to be remembered in song. Or just to be remembered at all. But in song, therein lies magic.

There's not much I like more than a chance to enjoy the company of friends be they Old, New, or as yet unknown around a fire with a good beer to quaf and the ringing of voices across the gathering. Whether it be hall, camp or battlefield. Well, OK, the beer has to wait till AFTER the battle. But you get the idea. :toast:

I can't wait till Crown Tourney next weekend! YAY!

[sableagle]

Well, OK, the beer has to wait till AFTER the battle. But you get the idea. :toast:If there are dead bodies lying around all over the show and starting to stink and you haven't got all your arrows back yet, it's still a battlefield.

[Landsknecht]

If there are dead bodies lying around all over the show and starting to stink and you haven't got all your arrows back yet, it's still a battlefield.

It's no longer a "battlefield" to me. "LANDSKNECHT" consider that situation to be more akin to a big, albet bloodsoaked and gore spattered, Mall. :dgrin:

[Talen]

If there are dead bodies lying around all over the show and starting to stink and you haven't got all your arrows back yet, it's still a battlefield.

You call that a battlefield. I call that a scavenger hunt.

"Ooh, someone died here...shinies!"

A long and honored tradition at our LARP is that folks will go in the first hours of the morning to glean through whatever got lost in any huge night battles the night before. That is, those capable of waking up at that hour after said fight-till-the-early-morn battle.

[freiman]

Well, it's done.

I need to say that I was deeply honored to be allowed to do it. I really hope that it's good enough.

I can't work a tape recorder without getting my wife to help. I need to learn to use the tech stuff, but I don't know how to do it right now. Right now is when I need it.

I have not memorized the lyrics yet, and I had to take some liberties with some of the lyrics to get the pacing exactly right, but I tried not to walk on treasured family memories.

I can get a couple of folks to help with the recordings (musicians, not techs) but I can't do the tech.

How does fiddle, Bhodran and guitar sound?

f

[Sabertooth Kitten]

How does fiddle, Bhodran and guitar sound?

f

That would be the traditional accompaniment I'm used to.
I don't know how I can thank you enough!

[Landsknecht]

That would be the traditional accompaniment I'm used to.
I don't know how I can thank you enough!

Speaking about traditional accompaniment. "Fin Tan" is playing at
"Molly Malone's" pub near me this Friday!!! YAY! Most of them are local Scadians. :dgrin:
Friday 5/23, 9pm
Molly Malone's
6111 Montgomery Rd.
Cincinnati, Ohio 45213

http://www.myspace.com/fintanmusic

[freiman]

That would be the traditional accompaniment I'm used to.
I don't know how I can thank you enough!

OK, at this point, it has been over a week, and I need to get this on track.

I have the arrangement, and I need to make this happen.

Does anybody have any clues as to how that can happen?

f

[Evandril]

Her Dad is currently still in the hospital, though I belive he might be getting 'net access, so can help you with it at that point...Other than that, I'd reccomend PMing her directly, might help :)