1Litany

Aurora Clark
Copyright 2009

Canto I

Sedras Chant

three moons and one alien sun

jeweled stars in deadly flight
four swords of morning
and one of darkest night

stoneshaker, earthbreaker
master of ground and vine

he turns from the wall

memory burns high
silent voices of a shattered past
flicker in his eyes

raze the walls and sear the halls

the Enemy hunts us now

time fragmented litany

from the prison of his mind
this language not his own
these words his to bind

airsniper, windviper
wielder of storm and snow

a face from tortured memory

haunts this duty-worn soul
she should have killed him then
blue eyes, white hair, ice cold-

the hrr'sa call about the veil

but within, they cannot see

it took so much
to turn and face that door
empty save for memory
and dust upon ancient floor

flamesheaf, burnseeth
breath of the fire within
she is not here
soul cries in vain
to expect the impossible
from this he cannot abstain

the plains will burn, their ashes churn

the Enemy howls in loss

in the bloody midst of battle

sword raised, knife falls
tattered soul smiles yet she intercedes
screams in denial as death calls

rainshawl, waterfall
warder of lake and stream

small shadow in the door

gate between life and death
guardian of a world unknown
for her, he would give his last breath

bring great strife to take their life

the Enemy flees in fear

last Children of Earth

beneath a bloated alien sun
six turned against their past
new war to be fought and won

voidmaker, lifetaker
mistress of death and pain

four swords of morning

and one of darkest night
they seek what should not be-
an end to this final fight

they shall fall about us all

and we shall be free again

three moons and one alien sun

jeweled stars in deadly flight
four swords of morning
and one of darkest night
Canto II

Sedras Call

a time now for fire

the Camps rally
banner of a forgotten age
raised again on high

moons rise, sun falls

three crosses standing tall

a time now for lies

for this ye will burn
run forever through night
away we will not turn

high stars flicker in the night

searing brands burning bright

a time now for hatred

the fire burns high
across this World run
our vengeance is nigh

hooves thunder on the plains

faster still the blood strains

a time now for slaughter

the Traitors will die!
cast out by kith and kin
slain by creation’s sin

blood seeps, shadows creep

final dusk falls, Death seeks

a time now for darkness

we will chase away the night
light rises! harken!
gather for our final fight

one blazing candle in the night

she gathers all by kin-right

a time now for safety

we watch the shadows
beware their lights
shoot now! dim their sights!
caution calls, silence falls
outward sears cleansing flame

a time now for finding

home at long last
ending to beginning
future to imperfect past

guardians at the gate

takes two to even Fate

a time now for suspicions

we will not betray
our kind continuos
rise from ashes this day

Phoenix-kin they name us

traitorous still, they blame us

a time now for trusting

we honor thee and thine
last evil fallen and rusting
erased by us and time

seeking alliance, stranger’s breath

ending slowly, angers’ death

a time now for remorse

old promises remembered
call upon us for recourse
no price upon help now

wary to rebuild, weary of war

friend to the friendless calls

a time now for rebirth

three chains of mind
united upon this earth
our kin we do bind

they have kindled kindred flame

among enemies so ancient

a time now for building

we reach for high stars
never will we be stilled
this unification will go far
Canto III

Sedras Prophecy

lost is the History

lost is the Reason
lost is the Law

there shall come one who calls

to fight against the rising Dark
risen himself from endless night
again out of Time to unite us all

in violence and peace

in shared blood and anger
in shattered lives and vengeance

Oathbreaker and outcast

murderer and kinslayer
all these, cycle-shaker
yet to his Call, we come

of the Camps
of the Shadows
of the Night

he shall lead four races

in the greatest Sundering of all
fall on your knees Sedras
for this is your redemption

wait for the call

wait for world-war
wait for the one
Canto IV

Human Cant
(coffin translation)

meth dei insird'n

(bittersweet memory)

small, hair twisted up

barbarian priestess of a forgotten people
limps through the square
face twisting at the stench
humanity's miasma clouds Hound-scent
confuses hrr'sa-sense
memories fade here
Camps covered by dust
cleansed by time and human-shrouded memory
"What are you?" she asks
slave of past and present too
smiles knowingly
pain etched in her bones reaches thin
matching mine so long ago
I do not remember but she does
hammer falls, echoing in memory
a new-forged sword she lifts
to arm me on a whim and teach
a place, in return for work
and else?
she asks nothing, waiting, watching
freedom she gave me
for seven silvers, no less!
S’hai'jin-kao'rue (this great debt I owe)
others warn of death
I see only a broken warrior
of ancient war that follows her
I see nothing but shadows
dusty, moldering books
harsh, rough tools
(fragment)
it(?) trots up behind me
tongue flickers across my face
it(?) dodges, but I manage to catch the reigns
they laugh, these upstart humans
who know not their place
but laughter dies as she joins us
bow and quiver at her back
dark sword at her side and death in her eyes
with a single nod, she gives me my mark
hard won, though it is-
we ride, still learning
and I see the raging whirlwind
break over this thin, time-scarred iron-wood
even the Sedras bow to her!
Seithanyiel semeth dei'insirdin
(Darkest Angel who holds such bittersweet memory)
walk lightly in her small shadow
for they know the greater darkness
from the first camp to the last
they'll follow her and so shall I
darkness gathering and legions behind
with this last bloody trust to mind
this shrill and heady taste of war
(fragment)
the blade turns *steelflicker*
sa dasker'veeren (named freedom's flame)
smaller, keener companion as-yet unnamed
I know them far too well
oiled carefully by gentle, scarred hands
last-fingers half gone-
they thought to punish her
merely made her hate them all the more
knuckles made large by the hammer
rebroken many times at their whim
intricate criss-cross of jagged scars
history tattooed in skin
palm turned white and oddly smooth
where firebrand smoldered long
it doesn't seem to pain her now
blade slides easily into sheath
easier still into flesh and bone
cleaned and cared for as a friend
since no friend has ever lived long
cold iron she knows
and the tempering of men
swift hammer strokes bare a bright new blade
sharpened easily by the wheel
but what of those who follow her?
Vaindurim v'na Altarin-na (these separated Outcaste of the Outcaste ?)
peace of mind long gone
why gather here, where death walks
and the restless wounded wail-
'She gathers followers like a dog gathers fleas,'
one says- understanding, not yet
not seeing her as death
yet fearing all the same, he hides it well
wildfire that will remake this tortured land
the hammer falls- the better to teach
bright iron estranged to rainbow gray
wrought by almost-magic
almost mastery, almost hatred
to need such a craft and hate it so-
necessary, yet damning all the same
swift hammer strokes bare a bright new blade
seitch s'kathir (catalyst for a new way)
embodying the old
she gathers them unknowing
this purpose cloudy to all, even her
but those who cannot say
she says this has happened before
only she and the land remember
and the ever restless dead
ancient land too old for war
yet another brews, the hills ring with it
snarling dog-song of Death's High Hunt
we ride to greet and beat them
pitiful rabble that we are
and one more rides with us
she gathers them, Commands
again, unwilling yet driven
by scabbed, bleeding memory
Hell's Hounds crying at her heels
well oiled wood and gleaming nails
eight for and one against-
they called for her death
none would lift a hand to slay her
dared not bring that wrath down
(fragment)
she speaks of life but forges Death
calls Death's minions to her
these arrows of war's dark Queen
even as I have become
to save or slay at her command
to repay this debt
or at least die trying
-ves’tamhar seth Altarin (coin of the Outcaste)
and so I wept, thinking to give all
though it cost me over-much
yet she would bar me from that, even now
another purpose, she holds me for
s'therim andjin se (owned one am I)
(fragment)
forty days and forty nights the great war rages
Her arrows fly to battle and still we fight
again the great bow is drawn
(we) her arrows broken
still we must fight or be taken-
for what do we fight
without hope, without light?
still they push us, testing
Ahe! E'sigh'ya! (Now! Back to the front!)
(fragment)
shield splinters as the sword falls
left for dead, yet saved
wither goes the ironwood, harsh voices call
she silences them with a word
troops scramble to obey
the raven dives down
host thunders forward
screaming her battlecry
Ahe! E'sigh'ya (Now! Back to the front!)
high hammer in the Hills
sharp lighting in the Valley
hooves of the ten-thousand churn dead ground
and our pitiful peoples await the charge
wither goes the ironwood?
bright metal cleaves brighter air
the broken blade is drawn
Host hammers down
only to fall in smoke-bourne, panicked death
(fragment)
shattered waste that was ours
Say'harad na'ah-si (The wartorn homeland calls)
silver moon and fleeting flash of toothy grins
only Death remembers and War's Dark Queen
-she says to move or die
we must obey.
(fragment)
(the rest of this section was destroyed)
Canto V

Human Song

they stand in the smoking hills

six forsworn who brew rebellion
among slaves they walk,
speak of freedom's gift-

run through the darkness

flee through the night

five of a world almost lost

broken by the long war
one from ancient past
shaken present- vision breaker

darkness surrounds
three moons are high

they raise the banner of shia'tahnyael

called “Peace” in the tongue of Man
a people dragged back, back!
from the edge of madness

howls break the silence

shadows swift running, fly!

scrambling for futile safety

these six, children of a new dawn
untried veterans seek
to wrest control of destiny

dead forest ahead

ashen gray on gray

from snarling first-born jackals

predators turned scavengers
fighting feebly for last scraps
in the wake of fading greatness

do you run now, or turn

and keep the wolves at bay?
Canto VI

Human Descent

from above they come

ripples in the plains
across this world run
so begins our enemy’s pain

plains riders, wind-striders

star-seekers, guard the weaker

this seeker of mysteries

she has come too far
to see one world end
and another begin, again

windshatter, star'sfall
darknesswell, evil's downfall

recorder of history sings

brilliant color-tales she spins
echoes of a distant age
captured in this errant’s rage

flameshear, waterwall
Life's reunion in Death's high hall

maker of Men, in his own way

more kin to the gleaners
friend to forest and marsh
than ken to enemy of our kind

earthlight guardian, flame's ash wielder

weaver of water and wild wind's rider

fighter, though she has no choice

once, but no-longer
her people are the outcasts
now she rallies them to battle

gather darkness to show the lighter

burn and blade and turn about

friend to those in need, friendless

alone, kinless and clanless
he raises an army by deed
banners ripple in the dark wind
reeling whirlwind scream and shout
flame and iron, darkness to rout

they bring newness

ancient hallowed cycles
skewed again to reset
balance found once more

blamewilder, hateshielder
silverseeth, fire's ruby hearth

scattered jewels between the stars

four races remember well their scars
of long slavery and bondage dark
never will they lose this soul’s mark

animal warder, human wielder

candle flame within the dark

a new World risen

from Elder’s shadowy past
hope once lost, now given
in Ancient’s dying breath
Canto VII

Fae’n Melancholy

blood's life turned to stillness

light's heart turned to darkness
hair's tendrils seeking, seeking
empty eyes are peering 'round

amber dawn’s ending is our song

here we’ve ruled for far too long

embers darkening the dawn

shadow's calling, shadow's falling
down down among us all
empty sings the world’s call

only our enemy will remember

this greatness that we once held

mind's crystal is failing

empty boat we're bailing
heed the high wind's silence
down we go, into violence

darkness below and above

by our creations felled forever

treeless life is waking

darkness road we're taking
nothing left to save us all
nothing left to save us all

nothing left to save us all

nothing left to save us all
Canto VIII

Fae’n Epiphany

dare we hope for more than this?

gifted to dream of what could be
silver spires in golden cities
peace and wayward Man-made things
darkness and priests of Angels' anger

flaring brightly, darkness binds us

sobbing softly, emotion blinds us

dare we hope for more?

pain twists steel strings, and yet
and yet sparks transmuted
alive, aware, awake, so briefly
sweet music sharpens the senses

into dreams we slip, never to wake again

shadowy ne’er-born world takes us

dare we hope for- ?

to speak and dream of present
in darkest shawls of shaman's past
flaring octiron fires of wizard's future
and Progress on steel-shod steed

dare we hope?
dare we?
Canto IX

Fae’n Rebirth

risen from long ending

these lostlings defending
here we begin again
our newness defined

field and furrow, root and burrow

leaf and branch and rock and mountain

ended once by apathy

and twice by ennui
thrice ended we shall not be
walk now among the free

endless days of summer’s high

fading fast and winter’s nigh

who shall gather round?

friend and foe alike
gather to face down the night
old anger forgotten for now

turn the fickle tide of time

wade against the rising rill of fate

whirl and look misery in the face!

laugh at those who come to see them hang
NOTES: Critiques welcome. Download for personal enjoyment only. Do not reprint or
publish without permission from the author.
Aurora Clark
blinkypoet@yahoo.com