The Roving Minstrel

by Frank

By a lonely old river, a castle once stood
Shrouded in shadows, by thicket and wood
No sunshine had shone there, for many a year
Inside, a young maiden was crying a tear

Deafened from birth, and so blind in one eye
Blighted and cursed, from somebody on high
She had never heard rhyming, and never heard song
She never thought life, would be lonely so long

No laughter, or loving, or stories were heard
For twenty years, no one had spoken a word
This maiden was lonely, this maiden was sad
She yearned for a life, that would make her heart glad

No fish in the river, no birds in the sky
No hope in her heart, as her life passed her by
Resigned to a life, full of silence and pain
Resigned that she must, in the castle remain

One morn, the young maiden was sitting at rest
When she saw a young minstrel, appear from the West
With a harp on his shoulder, and a song he did bring
He saw the young maiden, and he started to sing

His song born from beauty, from the heavens above
His song, was rejoicing the wonder of love
As he sang it so sweetly, the sun it did shine
And the thicket, surrounding the castle untwined

The lonely old river, then started to flow
The birds were all singing, and the flowers did grow
Some squirrels and rabbits, were hopping along
As the minstrel he played, and he sang her his song

As the maiden sat watching, with much joy and a tear
She heard his sweet song, manifest in her ear
With hearing restored, and her sight in both eyes
The minstrel had given her, lifes greatest prize

As they met in the garden, they kissed for a while
The minstrel was struck, by her beauty and smile
Their tale a real miracle, that had come from above
The minstrel and maiden, had fallen in love

Â© Frank Maguire 2007