It's Alice Day again

This song was inspired by Elizabeth Barrette's Fledgling Grace series. She is ysabetwordsmith on LJ/DW but if you don't follow her there, you can find her serial poetry page here. She is very prolific so you will have to scroll down a bit to get the Fledgling Grace poems.


Take These Wings
lyrics and melody by Cat Faber 2012
mp3 here

Dm             C                Bb
 The Fledging came by ones and sevens
              C              Dm    Gm
A scourge we might hope to escape
          Bb                  Gm
But over time we all grew feathers 
              C                Bb
Though never flight, whatever shape.
              C                Bb
Though never flight, whatever shape--

               Dm    F                C
   Take these [wings; they're just a burden
                Bb         Gm     C
   That are no key to open sky   
                  F                   Am Dm  
   That mark and mock, that hint and hinder
                 C              Dm
   That all may see and wonder why.
                 C              Dm
   That all may see and wonder why.

The wings of doves, mark Norman children
The wings of crows the Crow attire
A favored few bear wings of cardinals
That mark the holy all admire
That mark the holy all admire--

So some are blessed by confirmation
Of family pride in ancient tales
And some are torn by refutation
Where memory's guide to lineage fails.
Where memory's guide to lineage fails--

Some bear wings of birds before us
No living soul has heard their call
But bitter sings a different chorus
For some are feathered not at all
For some are feathered not at all--

Now some suspect my every kindness
Is just a mask for evil things
What can I do?  Where can I shelter?
I did not ask for leather wings
I did not ask for leather wings--

As is mostly the case, this new song is available at my website, www.hwaet.org.  If you like my music and would like to support it, I have an album, The King's Lute, available at Bandcamp.  If you are choosing a gift for a friend you think might like my music, I hope you will keep me in mind.