The Queen of Air and Darkness

[unclehyena.livejournal.com]

This is stretching the limits of the community a bit, but then, we don't exactly have a traffic problem. My excuse is that the title actually is lifted from one of the sections of White's "Once and Future King", so there is a legitimate Arthurian tie; it's just REALLY tenuous.

The other day a friend of mine mentioned how much she loved the song "Queen of Argyle", and how she wished someone had written such a thing for her. Wheels started to turn somewhere in the dungeons of my mind, and before long I had given the song a gothic makeover in my friend's honor. She claims to appreciate it, but then, she is VERY polite...

Uncle Hyena


The Queen of Air and Darkness
(apologies to Andy Stewart)
For Nikki

Gentlemen it is me duty to inform you of one beauty,
Though it’s only fair to warn you to be careful of her wiles
Though I own she is a creature without peer in form and feature
She’s the Queen of Air and Darkness and she’s deadly when she smiles.

And if you could have seen her there; boys, if you had just been there;
The serpent’s in her movements and the tiger’s in her smile
All the flowers bloomed at midnight, and preened there in the pale light
In hopes the Queen of Darkness would tarry for a while.

On the evening that I mentioned I passed without intention
Through a ring of stony columns that have stood a long, long while
And in that haunted place, I soon was face to face
With the Queen of Air and Darkness and her paralyzing smile.

And if you could have seen her there; boys, if you had just been there;
The serpent’s in her movements and the tiger’s in her smile
All the flowers bloomed at midnight, and preened there in the pale light
In hopes the Queen of Darkness would tarry for a while.

So my lads I needs must leave you; my intention's not to grieve you
Nor would I deceive you, I must leave you for a while
I must find some way to gain her, to court her and attain her
For the Queen of Air and Darkness stole my heart with just a smile.

And if you could have seen her there; boys, if you had just been there;
The serpent’s in her movements and the tiger’s in her smile
All the flowers bloomed at midnight, and preened there in the pale light
In hopes the Queen of Darkness would tarry for a while.

Paul Haynie
6/13/2006

Comments

[naovaxe.livejournal.com]

I think it's a great poem.

[ladycelt.livejournal.com]

That's a great song - one of my favorites. You did a great job - Nikki's a lucky lady!

[unclehyena.livejournal.com]

Milady:

I read this, checked out your blog (as I usually do) and found tha you had also done an obit for Susan Butcher...

I would be honored to be added to your "friends" list. In the meantime, here is a link to my writings that you might find interesting; in particular, you might be interested in the poetry collected in March, May, and June...

http://unclehyena.livejournal.com/2000/01/01/

Paul (Uncle Hyena) Haynie

PS I tried to add this to the most recent post in your own blog, per the instructions in your profile, and found that I could not, because you have comments set to "friends only"...

[ladycelt.livejournal.com]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the heads-up about my comments settings. I wasn't aware of it - it's fixed now.

Thanks also for the link to your poetry! I so admire people who write it. I'm strictly a prose kind of girl, but hopeless at poetry. :D

Nice to meet you!