The Gathering
The autumn moon shone golden upon her silver hair
She faced the wind and nodded to someone who wasn’t there
She listened quite intently to a voice I couldn’t hear
Then she replied so gently, "I’m ready now my dear"
On the ground she spread a cloth and set about a feast
Any food you could desire to comfort man or beast
As she worked she hummed a tune, a haunting melody
Her voice as clear as crystal belied her age to me
In the shadows I stayed hid and watched the scene unfold
Friend you are the first to hear this story ever told
From the distance in the dark a tiny light appeared
Faint voices mixed with laughter; the glimmer grew and neared
My heart pounded violently, the blood raced through my veins
Excitement turned bone chilling as fear took hold the reigns
From the woods a group emerged of ancient long ago
Donned in clothing of their time, these beings seemed to glow
I realized the glimmer before was not a lamp
But these olden ones themselves, I felt my skin grow damp
She bowed and bade them welcome with smiles of warmth and love
In turn they hugged and kissed her, one gifted her a dove
An elder woman beckoned and called her come aside
Clothed her in a white silk robe, she looked much like a bride
Merriment of song and dance, ceremony blessing
In the distance thunder rolled, lightening too was pressing
While they dined upon her food the storm was drawing near
Knowing then that I should run yet frozen by my fear
Storm clouds covered up the moon, lightening broke the darkness
Strong winds rushing through the trees, thunder cracked with sharpness
Balls of fire sped through the glade; the rain came pouring down
Too much for my weakened heart, I fainted to the ground
Sometime later I awoke, the light of dawn to see
To the bone both soaked and chilled, the sun brought warmth to me
The memory of the night before returned to fill my mind
Quickly then I turned about to see what I would find
There upon the cloth she spread, in death’s sweet repose
Peace upon her gentle face, she held a pure white rose
Something else my eyes did spy that lay upon her breast
The dove it seemed had joined her, in this flight to rest
I sat and gazed upon her and pondered in my mind
All the things that I had seen, but fear I did not find
When fear gives way to calmness, then peace and joy begin
To give you understanding and feed your soul within
As the sun rose in the sky and bathed her in it’s light
She too disappeared, my friend, just faded from my sight
So nothing can I offer to prove my story true
It’s my word that you must take, I’ve told the truth to you
My hair of gray will fool you, I’m not of feeble mind
The lines of age won’t tell you, I’m only twenty-nine
