Mourning songs, Dirges and Chants

IN MEMORY OF VIVYNE SALAME
BY DECIPHER ZIRON

The poem disclosed is dedicated to the Memory of Vivyne Salame, a Marmarran of considerable affluence who was famed in the City for her fun-loving (often excessive) lifestyle as well as her consistent promiscuity in her younger years (before becoming a committed spouse). Araid Salame, Vivyne's brother read this public elegy outside of her funeral. Though her funeral was held within her family crypt, which he himself did attend, this address was made to her adoring public who would sorely miss her presence. Vivyne herself comitted suicide after discovering of her husband's multiple adulterous affairs. Once news of his pursuits became public, he was scorned by a majority of the City for depriving Marmarra of such a divine woman.

To Vivyne's sad family,
Who loved her first and best,
To those who broke their bread with her,
And watched each early quest,

To every long-time friend of hers,
To those who held her dear,
For those who kept her smiling,
And those who drew her near,

To each of my sweet sister’s fans,
Admirers, devotees,
Who brought her into status,
Or grovelled at her knees,

To all my sister’s lovers,
Who clutched her in the night,
To all of those who held her close,
Suppliers of delight....

Vivyne was our diamant,
Our perfect, shining pearl,
Her ever-present smile,
Encompassing our world;

The sun of her bright eyes has set,
Her laugh no longer here,
But none of these suggest that we
Forget what we held dear.

If we remember every jest,
The joy that she would choose,
Then the spirit of my sister,
We'll truly never lose.

	"In Memory of Vivyne Salame", lyrics written by Decipher Ziron, music by Macar Irandir. Format: MP3, Length: 2:05. Originally titled "Strange Land". Click here to download the song, use right-click and "Save as..." (1.91 MB).

BELOVED
BY ALYSSE THE LIKELY

A Kuglimz lament, translated from the Kuglimz by Alysse the Likely and F'ash the Archivist.

Oh my beloved
Our promises are broken
You have left me; gone where
I cannot follow - I cannot follow…
Beloved.

Now I must go on
Bereft past any comfort
And wait on Lier’tyan
To send me after - to send me after…
Beloved.

And when Jav'eir’s wings
Have shadowed my vision
I’ll welcome the darkness
To show me your face - to show me your face…
Beloved.

	"Beloved", lyrics written and sung by Alysse the Likely, technical assistance by Macar. Format: MP3, Length: 1:16. Original Santharian Work. Click here to download the song, use right-click and "Save as..." (1.17 MB).

LOST HOPE
BY RAYNE AVALOTUS

Again, my shattered heart awaits embrace,
As teary eyes, in search of thy sweet smile,
Turn desperate into glaring night. Thy face
My whitened fingers seek to touch, but vile,
Enclosing darkness haunts my spirit still,
And I find nothing there to calm my mind -
No valiant love my vacant breast to fill,
To fight the sorrow keeping me confined.
Forgive me that I wished thou couldst release
My soul, imprisoned in a realm of cold.
Forgive me that I longed but for a piece
Of light, for warmth, for someone I might hold.
Allow a blade upon my pallid wrist
And let me bleed myself to ice and mist.

LANSQUENET'S LAMENT
BY TALIA STURMWIND

(The following song is well known throughout Santharia.
It is said to have its origin at the end of the Second Sarvonian War
when a bard was drawn into the warfare. Rumours go,
that not few soldiers tired of killing and getting killed deserted
after this song spread among the common troops.)

The Lady Death knocked at my door
last night, and said "It‘s time,
to leave the world and join the ones
who won‘t sing any more,
who won‘t sing any more."

This night she sat beside my bed
and said, "Come now with me,
there is a grave dug out for you..."
her hands were bloody red,
her hands were bloody red.

I fled my home, I fled my friends
and wandered far and wide,
as far as birds can roam the sky
until the broad world ends,
until the broad world ends.

But always when I turned around
I saw her shadow wait
and whisper in my ear so soft, "You will
be mine in duty bound,
be mine in duty bound."

On every path I walked along
she waited there for me
a-beckoning with outstretched arms
oh gods, what did I wrong,
oh gods, what did I wrong?

And then I knew the wind would blow
and rain would wet the land,
when I‘m long gone and rotten bones,
my deeds no one will know,
my deeds no one will know.

I dreamed of her again tonight,
And thus she said to me,
"Though you are young, your life must end
to serve another‘s might,
to serve another‘s might.

The land is green, Injèrá's bright
but when her orb goes down,
Queprur will come and take my hand,
she comes to claim her right,
she comes to claim her right.

And so I say farewell - 'tis true,
there is no endless life,
not for the plant, nor for the beast,
and also not for you,
and also not for you!

"Lansquenet's Lament", lyrics by Talia Sturmwind, instrumental version by Gean Firefeet.
Format: MP3, Length: 2:36. Original Santharian Work.
Click here to download the song, use right-click and "Save as..." (2.38 MB).

The grief that splits a parent’s soul
Is of all loss the most forlorn,
An anguish far too deep for tears
to ease the death of my firstborn.

To lay a babe in earth’s embrace
No mother should be made to do,
Nor father yet; to Jav’eir’s wings
We should have passed long before you.

My womb, my arms, my heart; all grieve
For each in turn therein held you,
And emptiness they now contain.
With every morn, I mourn anew.

I sigh, and breath these tender moments in
Because I know that these will be your last
And so they are important. How your skin
Is pale; your bones are weak, I know. Your past
Weighs heavy on your heart and wrinkled brow,
But cast away the sorrow and regret;
They are not worthy of your noble face.
Just let them go, and come back into now.
There is no reason left to not forget,
For you are far too close to Seyella's grace.

I watch your eyes stare upward to the sky,
Your body thin, your hair in tufts of gray.
You’re now too weak to walk, and softly die
Within your bed. You wait while I just pray.
I trace the purple rivers through your hands -
The hands that held me as a tiny child -
Because they are the constellations of
An age I follow. I don’t understand
Quite yet the change to come, still too beguiled
By every memory, and my love.

I’m frightened now for what I do not know.
Where will you go? What does “forever” mean?
You have so many things still left to show
Me, stories of the places that you’ve seen.
I clasp your hand because I know your smile.
I tremble through my heart, and start to cry.
I see you look at me to let me know,
But I am scared. I need a little while
More, please. I don’t know how to say goodbye.
Your eyes close. Daddy, Daddy, please don’t go.

The following two poems are part of a series of poems called the
"Summerday Cylce" of one of most famous Santharian poets,
Monsonius of Marcogg. The cycle was written in order to reflect the loss
of his beloved Stela from various perspectives with different interpretations,
and due to this unique approach the Summerday Cycle serves
as a magnificent example of the various possibilities poetry offers.

***

BITTER FORESIGHT
by Lucirina Telor Vevan

A summer morn,
when air was fresh,
the sun was shining bright.
I granted was,
by Seyella's will,
a bitter foresight.

In this, my vision,
the Queen of Rats
was sharpening her blade,
and headed for
our humble home
our happiness to break.

A darkness within
that could not be lifted
not by love nor by fate.
I ran as fast
as the northern wind
but it was already too late.

As your shivering hand
reached out for mine,
a whisper was your last breath.
The light of life
flickered in your eyes
as you faced the Lady of Death.

Yet in this moment,
when all I saw
was nothing but despair.
With a cold, soft hand
and a gentle smile
you wiped away my tears.

Queprur kissed thy lips,
my sweet love,
and filled them with cold.
The dream has ended.
The book is closed.
Our tale has now been told.

A SUMMERDAY MORNING
by Bard Judith

Bright leaves
In the summerday
Dapple down the morning light.
Fresh light
On the summerleaves
Ripples in the morning breeze.
Soft breeze
Over summertrees
Supples all the morning leaves.

Bright leaves
Are folding, curling.
Gentle golden skin too tender for the summer’s sun.
Fresh light
Is fading, paling.
Deep pools of pain are eyes in darkened glades.
Soft breeze
Goes cutting, whirling.
A snare of hair that wraps about taut throat and fingers pale.

Down falls the tree,
Up flies the ricau,
And the rain has come and gone
And winter’s here.

Dead leaves
In the winterlight
Dapple down the early snow.
Hard light
On the falling flakes
Cripples up the river’s flow.
Cold breeze
Through the fallen trees
Grapples my throat . . .
I can sing no more.

In the darkness of his smithy
You can see a flickering light.
Between the dust and coal he is sitting,
This man of fire and might.

His face is dark with coal dust,
But on his cheeks you see
Two rivers made of moonlight,
Rivers flowing endlessly.

For a year has past,
A whole year has gone
Still his heart and soul won’t heal.
Since a single kiss from a elven girl
Entered in his heart of steel.

His hammer and his anvil
Has been silent in this year.
Never born were from the fire
Any armor, any spear.

He has tried hard to forget her,
He has tried with all his might.
Yet it was like asking a flower
To forget the sun and light.

For ten years has passed,
Ten whole years has gone
Still his rest he cannot find.
He has lost his heart to an elven maid
And he soon will lose his mind.

In the darkness of his smithy
He decides to end his strife.
His beloved, called by Queprur,
Has now left her earthly life.

By the time of the next sunrise,
He is laying by the door,
His face is calm and peaceful
Not a tear he will cry more.

For he’s gone with her,
He has found her now.
In the warmth of Avá’s smile.
Now their hearts will stay in eternal bliss.
In the Dream that has no end.

QUEEN OF THE DEAD
by Viresse

An human man and his grieving wife
are sitting side by side.
She is sobbing in agony,
He holds her while she cries.

"O husband, our only son has been
taken by the Queen of the Dead!
Her sefish thoughts and actions are cruel.
Is there nothing can be done or said?"

"My mourning wife, the silent Goddess
has taken him for her own.
We shall see him when it's our turn,
We'd best leave well 'nough alone."

"Nay! I shan't!" She cried aloud
and promptly rose to her feet.
She has stolen my child, I'll take him back!
This Goddess I will meet..."

With this she took a dagger sharp,
and cleaved Her wrists quite clean.
Her final words were quiet and calm...
"I want my Child, O Queen..."

The husband knew, deep down inside
his Wife would never return.
He eyed the dagger, and then his wife;
his love for her still burned.

And with a cut of his own two wrists,
the husband joined his wife.
They were finally happy, all as one;
Though they mourned the end of their lives.

ESH'NEÁN
(STYRÁSH)
by Viresse

Cár'tuulén ... coorán, coorán ... Avá'artán'cár'áll ...
Cár'tuulén ... coorán, coorán ... Avá'artán'cár'áll ...
Cár'tuulén ... coorán, coorán ... Avá'artán'cár'áll ...
[kar-too-lee-an, coor-an coor-an, ava artan car-all]

ésh'neán ... carpá'ó'cár'áll!
ésh'neán ... carpá'ó'cár'áll!
[esh-nay-ah-an, car-pa o car-all]

Translation:

The death... to die, to die, Avá bless the living.
The death... to die, to die, Avá bless the living.
The death... to die, to die, Avá bless the living.

Not the end ... The beginning of everlasting higher living!
Not the end ... The beginning of everlasting higher living!

PARKI NA'ROO PATRE POPAI
(SOR'INYT)
by Viresse

Popai flo’a res'it [po-pai flo-ah-ah re-is-it]
doore hiy'a kamd. [doo-re hee-ya kamd]
Up na'roo ta odi [oop na-ah-roo ta oh oh-di]
du popai, guyr. [du po-pai goo-ree-ur]

Te sa For'l ta lim'ia, [teh sa fo-rel ta lee-mee-ah]
na'roo ta die'f return popai. [na-roo ta dee-eff ree-turn po-pai]
Te sa For'l ta lim'ia, [teh sa fo-rel ta lee-mee-ah]
na'roo ta die'f return popai. [na-roo ta dee-eff ree-turn po-pai]

Cor mor'na ta uinu [con mor-na ta oo-ee-noo]
Miu ji'po boff [mee-oo jee-po baff]
Parki na'roo potre popai. [paaar-kiii naaa-rooo po-oh-tre po-pai]
Cor mor'na ta uinu [con mor-na ta oo-ee-noo]
Miu ji'po boff [mee-oo jee-po baff]
Parki na'roo potre popai. [paaar-kiii naaa-rooo po-oh-tre po-pai]

Translation:

You wander without help toward infinite light.
But we are with you, always.

And as the Sun shines,
we are watching over you.

When Night falls, Our hearts be ill
Until We see you.

FROM DEATH INTO DREAM
by Xarl

The fallen of battle
Those struck by disease
Nothing to nothing
From death into dream

In dark dwarven caverns
In bright elven trees
Nothing to nothing
From death into dream

On Her black sky-throne
The dead all she sees
Nothing to nothing
From death into dream

There in that high place
The judgement is said
Nothing to nothing
From death into dream

For there the gone will learn
The fate of the dead
Nothing to nothing
From death into dream

To nightmare or dream
The fallen is lead.
Nothing to nothing
From death into dream.

Thus spoke the Frost Queen
"And so it shall be.
Nothing to nothing
From death into dream."

"I shall claim this right
For eternity."
Nothing to nothing
From death into dream

So it ever has been.
And so it shall be.
From nothing, to nothing.
From death, into dream.