The Daughters of Moremi

Hullo! I realize it has been roughly a thousand years since I have posted anything on this page, and that is essentially because I am exceptionally lazy. However, last weekend I was invited south to Nashville for a Brewing and Bardic meetup (affectionately termed “Brewdic”) in the Shire of Glaedenfeld. The loose theme presented to us was Tales and Songs of Winter.

Being as I cannot stand winter and nearly every song I know praises it, I decided to take up the pen and use some inspiration derived from the A Song of Ice and Fire series and let Old Nan help me with my song. Below is the result, a song transcribed from her last tale to Bran:

The Winter Lullaby
Omokehindegbegbon (mka T Johnson)

Lie back, sweet summer child
Close tired eyes, rest weary head
You ask for horrors, Others stories
Nestled neatly in your bed
What could you know of fear, my lord
Armies filled with stalking dead
No night for heroes’ tales, my lord
I tell you now the truth instead

Fear is for the winter, child
The long, cold night and lonely moon
Day be day, sun hides its face
And winter is coming soon
Yes, winter is coming soon

Trapped beneath the marbled snow
Impossible to speak its depth
Blizzards howling from the North
To freeze the rivers, blind of breadth
Mothers hush babes final cries
Frozen tears, frozen breath
Castles and huts each fitting tombs
And all of us equal in death

Fear is for the winter, child
The long, cold night and lonely moon
Day be day, sun hides its face
And winter is coming soon
Yes, winter is coming soon

No man escapes their wrath, my lord
Ice stills all hearts, even the brave
Maids and babes fall to the slain
And all the land a frozen grave
No iron halts the Others’ hordes
Our own warm blood condemns the saved
Even gods shut their eyes to men
Tell me, is this the tale you crave?

Fear is for the winter, child
The long, cold night and lonely moon
Day be day, sun hides its face
And winter is coming soon
Yes, winter is coming soon
Winter is coming…

Notes for performance: This is a song for a deeper voice and lower tones. Old Nan is not a loud speaker, especially when delivering scary stories. This sings a little more like a dirge than a lullaby–the North is hard and harsh. The North is austere, and the melody of this song portrays that. Winter is coming whether you will it or not. This is not a lively song for dancing or drinking–it is a warning, a fact, as cold and unbearably realistic as winter itself. I hope you like it.