THE FIRST CANDLE EVE

THE FIRST

CANDLE EVE

The Meeting of Fayendar and Enava

In the stream that watered nearby

   the cool spring, which flowed,

   watering the Crafter's Village 

The dark maiden came to bathe alone

   dancing and singing with chanted voice

   laughter of strange words.

She came forth of that village

   from Uruk did she come

   to wet her feet in the running cool.

She sang aloud with undisturbed joy

   a sweet song of glad reunions,

   alone she sang to herself.

Under the spell of the pale moonlight

   the candle stars which burned true,

   shining beneath the sky above.

I came beyond the Greenleaves a hill

   from the woodland’s crest I came,

   watching amid the shadow’s breeze.

I silently gazed, unseen by her eyes

   as in prancing manner of clapping hands,

   she danced and played before me.

What manner of beauty was this I beheld;

   with crimson lips which flowered in song,

   dark flowing hair on such tender brow?

Alone did she bathe with body so bare

   of firm legs standing undressed,

   washing high breast in the silver moonlight.

I breathed in a tongue unknown to her

   softly recanting her words back aloud,

   my silent voice she heard upon the wind.

The trees moved with the warm breeze

   then that maiden’s song fell still,

   for the branches swayed her to silence.

The wind sang my song to her,

   like some unknown bird in flight of joy

   whose wing the silence then did break.

For fear she dared not move, though enchanted

   that her own song was heard in love;

   she wondered of that beyond the shadows.

Disreguarding all that lay about those trees

   forgetting her nakedness she stayed

   as in awe before me she now stood.

Likewaise did I before her stand still

   caring not for the hidden trunk of bark

   only the beauty of her smiling grace behold.

Face to face in greeting embrace

   as enchanted soul-mates now known to be

   on that our first summer’s CandleEve.

[For Alice Irene 1983]

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