The Changling's Children

What is a child born to a changeling
And a man of the mountain and wood?
Creatures of starlight and sandstone
Beings of perilous good

The stars and the moon and the sunshine
Come to dance on the green growing earth
Their fingertips parting the twilight
In a medley of mortal and mirth

They were held for a breath of an instant
Between the two worlds growing strong
Drinking learning like clear mountain water
Tasting words and movement and song

Then the strong roots that bound them secure
Loosed and bloomed hollow to wings
They spun in the sweet mountain breeze
Trailing a rainbow of Fae apron strings

And oh, ‘tis a woe to the changeling
Letting go of the creatures is hard
They heard a renaissance pipe in the greenwood
And flew off in the spell of The Bard


©Edwina Peterson Cross