Ballad of the Stranger

[smokingboot]

I am the stranger, I am the one
Born by the night on the glen
Four legs, two legs, grey death to come
Stalking the houses of men

Silver they shot at me, silver and pride
Thinking that dawn will come soon
Bullets I gather, plucked out of my side
Offered as pearls to the moon

Down to the village I sing my old song
‘Who will you push through the door?
Who is the innocent? Who is the wronged?
Whose is the blood on the floor?’

Under their windows I howl through the night
‘Bring me each one with a heart!’
Clutching their riches, huddled in fright,
Thinking they know where to start

Soon they will bring me a morsal so small
one with no family or home
Orphan or coinless, not of them at all
Someone unloved and unknown.

‘Here’ they call, ‘Here is the one with a heart,’
Pushing the child through the gate.
‘Eat as you will and then, monster, depart!’
While the sun sets on their fate.

Leaping the walls as they tremble and grieve,
safe is the child at the door
‘You’re what I take, it’s the heart that I leave,
Yours is the blood on the floor.’

I am the stranger, I am the one
Born by the night on the glen
Four legs, two legs, grey death to come
Stalking the houses of men

Comments

[nyarbaggytep.livejournal.com]

Love this.

[smokingboot.livejournal.com]

Thanks Cam, I am delighted that you like it. Jude has asked if she can put it to music, and I'm really looking forward to hearing it brought to life!