The Fiddler in the Night

This is a poem that I made several years ago for my sister.

The Fiddler in the Night (illustration by Shelton Bryant)

A lone shadow dances gaily under the moonlight
Playing a fiddle, prancing and dancing in the night
The sight of her charms and her music sways hearts
She plays for joy and pleasure, she leaps like a hart.

But lo another shadow comes with the sound of drum!
He follows her shadow to and fro, beating with a steady hum.
She leaps for joy, he spins in delight, following her every move
They play together in the night, enchantment need not prove.

What sound now reaches ears? Another drum of the night?
Its sound deep and strong, playing, growing with great might.
Now two drummers of the night stand by the fiddle player
They compete against each other to win her good favor.

She plays the melody with thriving joy, and they a steady beat
She spins and dances while fiddling, and they drumming do meet
They circle her and beat their drums while she plays the song
Each hoping he’ll gain her interest, they beat drums loud and strong.

Ah now the test! The fiddler stops and suddenly changes tunes
She leans close to one drummer to better hear his enduring boom
Then she prances to the other to watch his drumming swell
And dances when both past the test drumming along so well.

Now the fiddler plays a last note then vanishes from sight
And the drummers weep and wane away in the closing night
If one will sometime listen to the dark and calm night’s wind
They may hear the drums and know that the fiddler did descend.