Aphelion Issue 301, Volume 28
December 2024 / January 2025
 
Editorial    
Long Fiction and Serials
Short Stories
Flash Fiction
Poetry
Features
Series
Archives
Submission Guidelines
Contact Us
Forum
Flash Writing Challenge
Forum
Dan's Promo Page
   

Overheard in a Forest Glade

by Iain Muir


Hush, my baby, hush!
You must not cry!
Hush, my baby, hush!
The hunters are nearby.

Sleep, my darling, sleep!
Your mother’s gone away.
Sleep, my darling, sleep!
In the Greenwood we shall stay.

Shush, my baby, shush!
Your daddy wants you dead.
Shush, my baby, shush!
He’s asking for your head!

Hush, my sweeting, hush!
Be still but for a space.
Shush, my baby, shush!
’Til we find your mama’s race.

Peace, my jewel, peace!
They live here in the Green,
Peace, my jewel, peace!
And your Grand-mama’s their queen.

Rest, my baby, rest!
While Men war with the Elves,
Rest, my baby, rest!
And thereby destroy themselves.

Sleep, my darling, sleep!
Sleep, and do not dream,
Sleep, my darling, sleep!
While for your revenge I scheme.

There, my sweeting, there!
They search without success.
Just you rest, my darling one,
My little Elf Princess!


© 2002 Iain Muir

Iain Muir was born in London, and has since then dived in Mauritius, raced cars on dirt roads through African cane fields, been robbed in German pubs, and now resides in North Sydney. He drinks too much red wine, and spends too much on reading material. He plans on getting rich the old-fashioned way: by winning the lottery.

Find more by Iain Muir in the Author Index.

Comment on this story in the Aphelion Forum

Return to Aphelion's Index page.