Karelia’s Song

Now the Baron of Eastmarch's fair sorcerous daughter

was enamored unseemly with the fool of her lord.

Though her Duke was deemed handsome, he'd a soul vain and petty

and a dark mind as empty as last summer's gourd.

And the fool he was clever and he sang for the lady

like a nightingale piping in a deep forest grove.

But his station was lowly and his body was ageing

and their love was as hopeless as if he was stone.

So the lady has led them, the fool and her husband

to her cool secret garden by the midsummer's moon.

And she’s danced them a spell there of shifting and changing

and left them dumbfounded by sorcery's boon.

She has left a fool crying to the gods of his fathers.

She has led her duke laughing to her high chamber door.

And she's kept him there softly, through two days bright dawnings

while her servants all gossiped in wonder and awe.

So the fool died in madness, saying he was ensorcelled

and the duke only smiled him a sad secret smile.

Now her duke rules his people with wit and good humor

and he sings for his lady like the nightingale's song.

And she's borne him five children, two sons and three daughters

and they've grown straight and handsome, and sorcerous all.

And they dance in the garden and they sing in the moonlight,

like nightingales piping in green forest halls.