Allow me take a quick break from my regular posts, and publish this poem/song that I had been working on for several months. I first heard this melody, "She Wove A Cloak Of Many Yarns" (recorded by Jeff Victors on my computer), more than a year ago, and found it both beautiful and lyrical. When I learned that the melody had no words (or at least none that I could find on the Internet), I sought to amend this. My lyrics are below; a recorded version (sang by me, and accompanied by a slightly modified Jeff Victors recording) can be downloaded here:
She Wove A Cloak of Many Yarns (lyrics by Michael Zlatkovsky)
Dedicated to my love, Katrina
Dedicated to my love, Katrina
In mystical lands 'neath a brilliant sun
Two loving souls, heavenly blessed,
Lived blissfully -- freely -- together as one
Until he was called on a quest.
They went to the forest and there they embraced
And kissed underneath an old oak.
In face of the long separation they faced
She lovingly wove him a cloak.
Oh she wove many a yarn
For a cloak that he would wear:
To remind him of her love and her hopes
And to shield him from cold and despair.
That morning they parted, distraught and forlorn,
And silent became her small world.
The distant sun shone, but until his return
The Earth had grown weary and cold.
By night, when the wind hurled by stardust above,
Though it to his darling he spoke:
He sent her his kisses, and felt back her love
Caressing his traveling cloak.
Oh she wove...
On following days he crossed mountains and hills,
He watched the lakes and the seas;
He felt what the lonely wild caribou feels,
And knew what the soaring hawk sees.
On fine days he'd laugh at the warm sunny light,
On grim days in rain he would soak;
But no matter the weather -- by day and by night --
Protected he was by her cloak.
Oh she wove...
The days turned to weeks, but at last came the end --
The journey's completion drew near;
And as he came round a mountain bend
He saw, in the distance, his dear.
Once more did the Earth and the Heaven unite;
Once more did the bright sun shine forth!
Once more did two loving hearts beat with delight,
'Neath a cloak that now covered them both!
Oh she wove...
Two loving souls, heavenly blessed,
Lived blissfully -- freely -- together as one
Until he was called on a quest.
They went to the forest and there they embraced
And kissed underneath an old oak.
In face of the long separation they faced
She lovingly wove him a cloak.
Oh she wove many a yarn
For a cloak that he would wear:
To remind him of her love and her hopes
And to shield him from cold and despair.
That morning they parted, distraught and forlorn,
And silent became her small world.
The distant sun shone, but until his return
The Earth had grown weary and cold.
By night, when the wind hurled by stardust above,
Though it to his darling he spoke:
He sent her his kisses, and felt back her love
Caressing his traveling cloak.
Oh she wove...
On following days he crossed mountains and hills,
He watched the lakes and the seas;
He felt what the lonely wild caribou feels,
And knew what the soaring hawk sees.
On fine days he'd laugh at the warm sunny light,
On grim days in rain he would soak;
But no matter the weather -- by day and by night --
Protected he was by her cloak.
Oh she wove...
The days turned to weeks, but at last came the end --
The journey's completion drew near;
And as he came round a mountain bend
He saw, in the distance, his dear.
Once more did the Earth and the Heaven unite;
Once more did the bright sun shine forth!
Once more did two loving hearts beat with delight,
'Neath a cloak that now covered them both!
Oh she wove...
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