Dandelyon's Worlds

I've been writing in between necessary tasks around the house, but the stories I'm working on are resisting quick completion.  Sometimes that's a good sign, that I'm writing something at the edges of my skills, or that needs deep thought.  This weekend, I think it's just a sign that I'm distracted by mundane stuff like having a half-painted porch and weeds the City demands I mow down (and rain, which makes mowing with an electric lawn mower problematic).

But I do have something to share.  This is from a photo prompt by red_trillium:  http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2016062480012303101Wocvlk

An Irfai Lullabye
a Torn World poem by Deirdre M. Murphy

The heroes in the Irfai songs
Sailed in boats with monster heads
Guarding to the front and rear
Like our infant sailor-beds

Each tiny cradle, built so tight
That it can float, and lull the child
While Momma works and catches food
And Poppa hunts the monsters wild

Sleep little babe, upon the waves
And dream of Death, Snagtooth and Whale
Dying on your brave harpoon
Someday the bards will sing your tale



Historical note: The Irfai tales are often exaggerated; the tales talk of tall ships with extravagantly-carved figureheads at both ends of the boats; in reality, the monster heads on traditional Irfai ships were mostly painted on, and sometimes were no more than painted eyes. However, intricately-carved cradle-boats are used in the modern day by well-off Irfai, and both intricately-carved, well-made cradle boats and cheaper (and often leaky) knock-offs are sold to tourists.