Immortal Bird

Words and Music by Beth Hudson Wheeler
3/31/06
(Inspired by a reference in Judith Tarr’s Alamut and The Dagger and the Cross")

 
 
   C G F Em
 Within the wood, amidst the trees
   Am C G 
  Beloved one, you rode at dawn
   Am C F E
 My heart fell victim to your face
   Am C G 
 So young, so fair against the morn.
 
   Am C F C
 I came to you in mortal mask
    Am C E 
 A spirit formed of wind and flame
   Am G F Em
 And bore you children for your house
   Am C G Am
 Your royal lineage to claim.
 
  C G F  Am
 Immortal bird in jesses caught
      C G F Em
 While passion wars with freedom’s lure
     Am G F E
 Still yearning for that tangled wood
   Am C F Em Am
 Must power’s blood or love abjure.
 
 I followed you into the world
 Though magic bled from me like grief
 Became your queen in songbird dress
 And shared your mortal moments brief.
 
 And though I loved our children three
 Our youngest daughter, worldly fair
 I bore my twin sons with my own
 Enchanted eyes and midnight hair.
 
 Immortal bird in jesses snared
 Tethered to her perch of stone
 Dreams her dreams of verdant power
 Mated, singing, yet alone.
 
 Through those years as queen and wife
 My magic tombed in earthen guise
 That spellbound wood yet called to me
 And green leaves bloomed behind my eyes.
 
 Denied in power, place, and sight
 My heart broke free and burst the cage
 And taking wing, I blew away
 From mortal care and human age.
 
 Immortal bird from jesses loosed
 Still timelessly awaits the day
 When clad as sons, my love returns
 And mortal memories fade away.

"IMMORTAL BIRD" SOUND FILE

  Music
  -----
  a-F#aEf#d.c#b-A-
 a-F#ef#.gae.dfE
 ddc#.&c#Deef#.&f#F#
 eF#ef#.gaBaE
 
 ad+.c#+ba.gf#b.agF#
 f#Bf#f.#gaB%f#E
 a-F#aEf#d.c#b-A-

aF#ef#.gaE.&Ef#F#

a-F#eAdd.c#b-a-B-

b-d.ef#e.dc#b-.c#dC#

f#-f#e.ded.c#b-b.aF#

eF#b-d.ef#D&ded-c#b-B-

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