by E.J. Stevens
Barghest and Mauthe
Harbingers of Death
Come to warn this old soul
Of its inevitable last breath
When lightning struck the churchyard
During last night’s storm
Red glowing eyes looked out at me
From within a great black hulking form
Your bark became the thunder
Then you were gone into the night
Choosing to heed your warning
I begged the priest for last rites
Today I hear your howling
Echo across the moor
And know I have come at last
To the threshold of death’s door
It’s time to lay these bones
Deep within the ground
For I have heard, not once but twice,
The baying of the hound.
To See a Fetch
See a Fetch in the morning
Offer it a cup of tea
Live a long life
Of wealth and prosperity
See a Fetch at midday
Walk in a crooked line
Don’t catch his eye
Or on your soft flesh he’ll dine
See a fetch in the dark night
Hold your friends and loved ones dear
Say your goodbyes
You’ll be dead within the year.
Gargoyle Sentry
Faithful gargoyle servant
You ever guard us well
Perched on our cathedral
Beside the tower bell
Dear immortal sentry
Forced to watch forever
Always on full alert
Vigilant as ever
Beneath fearful visage
Lay loyal heart of stone
Left your solemn duty
Eternity all alone.
Siren Song
Your lungs like a bellows
Filled with the breath of the dead
A multitude of feathers
Dancing around your head
Beautiful bird woman
High on your island of death
Where you await male sailors
Who bear life-giving breath
Luring virile sailors
Shipwreck on your rocky shore
Enchanting men with music
They can never ignore
Sweep down with your sisters
Amidst quickly sinking ships
Seeking out the ideal mate
To kiss upon the lips
Drawing in his last breath
Push him under the water
Happy knowing in nine months
You shall bear his daughter
Sun slides below the waves
Day returns to blackest night
The final piece of wreckage
Sinks swiftly out of sight
From atop your aerie
You and your sisters take wing
Moonlight catches ship and sail
You rise once more to sing.
The Reaper
Demons pass outside your window
They call for you
Your hand reaching out to cold glass
Lips have turned blue
Demons dance, leap, twist and gyrate
They never tire
Your hair hangs wet with fever sweat
Eyes lit with fire
Hell’s minions gesture and beckon
For your embrace
Trying to stand up, all color
Drains from your face
Promises whispered on the wind
Life without pain
You try to walk to the window
Collapse in vain
Your sobs echo around the room
These prison walls
Demons rally you to get up
With hoots and calls
Demons are tiring of this game
Trace a blood star
You reach out for the window ledge
But it’s too far
With chanting and a lightning flash
Demons have left you
All of your hope has gone with them
Wish has come true
Angels now hover over you
To guide your soul
You head for the gates of Heaven
To play your role
You who have known torment will know
Only rapture
Returning to earth with purpose
Souls to capture
At all their bedsides you offer
Blessed release
You take their souls up to Heaven
When their heart’s cease
Scythe in hand you do your duty
Take their last breath
With a heart full of righteous fury
Angel of Death.
Warding Charm
Fae folk in the glen
Fae folk by the sea
Fae folk in the sky
Smiling down at me
Magic in the grass
Magic in the trees
Laughter of the Fae
Carried on the breeze
Stars shine in the night
Sun shines in the day
Nothing shines as bright
As the lovely Fae.
Possession
Returning to me once more
Was your dying obsession
When your ghost was strong enough
To attempt possession
You traveled the spirit realm
Seeking the incantation
Finally making a deal
The price your soul’s damnation
Yet the demon taught you well
You were right there next to me
But looking into your eyes
Your soul was a raging sea
Your spirit fought for control
Warred with your reluctant host
Struggling to stay corporeal
Terrified to be a ghost
To stay with me you will risk
More than your immortal soul
Giving the coins from your eyes
None left for the boatman’s toll
With all your deals and bargains
What no demon would reveal
Was their cruelest intention
Our future they chose to steal
With no way to cross over
Your soul stranded on the shore
When I breathe my final breath
You will be alone once more.
Woman in White
Traveling along the roadside
On this wet fog laden night
I catch a brief glimpse up ahead
Of a lone woman in white
Wondering if I can offer
Assistance to this lady fair
I dismount and call out to her
But she only turns to stare
What foul thing could have befallen
This damsel to strike her mute?
Perhaps then she is no fair lady
But a dame of ill repute
I shall take her with me
I’ll keep her warm in my bed
A reward for taking her in
From this road few others tread
Her presence could complicate things
As my wedding night draws near
So long as my wife’s family
Remain blind there’s naught to fear
A plan already taking form
I reach out to take her arm
But as the clouds move past the moon
Light shines on a wedding charm
Not a harlot then just a bride
Now obvious by her dress
Glowing white beneath the full moon
So lovely but in distress
Trying again to be helpful
I reach out to take her hand
Only then do I see the blood
Dripping onto rock and sand
In her right hand she held a knife
Her left clutched her husband�
��s heart
Her husband had been unfaithful
Tearing her world and mind apart
She looked with frenzied hatred on
A lecherous wretch like me
Quickly slashed head from body
Tossing the head into the sea
So hear me all unfaithful men
Attend these words of the dead
Beware of the Woman in White
Or you too may lose your head.
Fire & War
The Phoenix Cycle
The beautifully plumed Phoenix
Sits upon her aromatic pyre
Beating jewel encrusted wings
To fan flames of purifying fire
As the flames engulf her
She shrieks out a last ecstatic breath
The heat makes her body appear to waver
In this macabre dance of death
Flames burn down to nothing
Red hot embers cool to grey
Night’s darkness fades as dawn’s light rises
To mark the beginning of a new day
From the ashes she emerges
At first just the appearance of her beak
Shakily rising upward
For as a newborn she is weak
The Phoenix continues pushing forward
Forces open an ash covered eye
Spreads her wings and with a shriek
Launches herself into the sky
As the sun reaches its zenith
The Phoenix gains size and power
But as the shadows lengthen
She must return to her bower
She gathers dry bracken, leaves and twigs
And builds herself a nest
Wondering if this time she will be permitted
The release of final rest.
Fafnir the Wyrm
Greedy Fafnir and Regin
Murdered their loving father
To lay hands upon his gold
Brother set upon brother
Fafnir driving out Regin
Before father had grown cold
Holding tight to his gold pot
Fafnir lay on bloody stones
Face pressed to dirt, grime and mold
He stayed there in the cellar
Beneath his father’s castle
Shivering in the damp cold
Coiled around the treasure hoard
Fafnir became a dragon
Better to protect and hold
The treasure he coveted
For his greedy eyes alone
From all men wished to withhold
Meanwhile Regin’s jealousy
Compelled him to send his son
Sigurd to Fafnir’s stronghold
Sigurd wielded the sword Gram
Killing the dragon Fafnir
With a stroke skillful and bold
Cutting out the dragon’s heart
And drinking of its warm blood
Induced the truth to unfold
Sigurd became aware of
His father’s murderous deceit
To kill his son for the gold
Sigurd returned to his home
Slay his father and carried
Curse and gold across threshold.
Vampire Court
Ah! The sweet blood of innocents
Always such a lovely vintage
Draining pure young struggling virgins
Conjures a delightful image
My deepest heartfelt gratitude
To our gracious immortal host
For bringing us all together
I would like to offer a toast
To all the long-lived lords and kings
Who linger buried in the dark
Ruling from within the shadows
Each of us prowling like a shark
We will be waiting for the scent
For the peasants to draw first blood
Then we shall strike with combined force
An unstoppable killing flood
We will fill the world with monsters
Brother denizens of the night
Vampires will rule over humans
With pain and paralyzing fright.
Basilisk
King of reptiles and serpents
Murdering all you touch and see
All things burn in your presence
Every flower, bush and tree
Slithering along the ground
Your gaze turns man and beast to stone
Your breath and blood are poison
Turning all men to flesh and bone.
Goblin King
On the horizon marched the horde
Of the Goblin King
Claws smash weapons to shields
Battle drums beating
Our general went to meet their king
On the battlefield
The Goblin King gave
Terms or sword he’d wield
Now if there is but one among you
Not tainted by sin
I will let you all go free
The humans will win
The general agreed to the terms
To avoid slaughter
Goblins and Orcs roared
Filling the air with laughter
Not one among you is free of sin
The Goblin King cheered
Turning to face the humans
His whole army leered
From the direction of the wagons
Came a wailing cry
A woman with newborn babe
Held up to the sky
My child knows nothing of sin
Cried out the woman
Turning the tide of the battle from
Goblin to human
The Goblin King howled and broke his spear
Men! We are not done
You have won this skirmish but
This war is not won
Foul humans I pledge to all your kind
On my broken spear
We will return some day soon
And you shall know fear
The humans turned to the newborn babe
Bowing on one knee
All swore fealty to the man
Who would set them free.
Curse of the Seer
From among the mad
A babe was born
A maiden she shall sing
But this great joy was
Not meant to last
Black tidings she will bring
For when this dear child
Learns to See and
Grows to become a lass
To help aid her friends
She’ll scry to see
Evil in the looking glass
In the end she’ll look
To see the face
Behind the burial shroud
Wretched oracle
What she sees there
Will make her scream aloud
Looking far beyond
She’ll try to learn
The face of the enemy
Seeing past the veil
Finding the truth
By her death will they be free
It was not her fault
But destiny
Her role already foretold
Her friends all vowed then
With heavy hearts
Never to let her grow old
The Dullahan
Dullahan is coming
You cannot bar his passage
Locks fall ‘way, gates fly open
At one look from his hideous visage
Fiery hooves striking stone
Cannot flee, nowhere to hide
From the dark cloaked Dullahan
No place his great black horse cannot ride
He holds his head aloft
His neck a bloody wreckage
Darting wide eyes seek you out
To bring his final fateful message
The Dullahan performs
His task with fervor and pride
So do not disturb his wo
rk
